Hospice Foundation of America’s National Living with Grief® Program

The Longest Loss

Public Invited and Qualified Professionals to Receive CE Credits

Due to popular demand, CarolinaEast Medical Center will be hosting a second showing of Hospice Foundation of America’s Living With Grief® program. CarolinaEast Health System, Cotton Funeral Home and Craven County Health Department Hospice presented The Longest Loss: Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia in the CarolinaEast Medical Center Auditorium at 2000 Neuse Boulevard in New Bern. Attendance at the initial showing was very successful and in response to many requests for a second showing, The Longest Loss will be presented again on Friday, August 28th from 2pm until 5pm.

When the diagnosis is Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia, grief doesn’t wait for death.  Through a combination of candid, compelling interviews and live, in-studio discussion, experts in The Longest Loss: Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia identify how medical and social service professionals, as well as caregivers, can best help patients, families and themselves cope with loss and grief associated with these progressive illnesses.  The program features national speakers and a discussion session led by local experts. For full details, see HFA’s website at www.hospicefoundation.org.

“This is a powerful video and discussion lead by experts in the field, as well as local resources.  It provided much needed light to an overwhelmingly dark situation for families experiencing dementia,” said Janet Munday, RN and Project Coordinator at CarolinaEast Medical Center, who attended the August 5th showing with a friend whose spouse suffers from dementia.  “There was a wonderful presence of hospital staff, care givers of dementia family members, and resource personnel from the community.  I was honored to accompany my friend to the presentation and to be another set of eyes and ears to gather the much needed information.”

Each year the Living With Grief ® award-winning series is produced by Hospice Foundation of America, a not-for-profit organization, which acts as an advocate for the hospice concept of care through ongoing programs of professional education, public information and research on issues relating to illness, loss, grief and bereavement. Three (3) hours of continuing education will also be available through HFA for nurses, social workers, counselors, psychologists, funeral directors, clergy and others who qualify. Please verify CE availability with your professional or state board approval.  The CE cost is $15 per person. Instructions for those wishing to receive CE credits will be provided at the viewing location on the day of the event.

To register, call 252-633-8099 or CarolinaEast Health System’s website. For more information, call Thomas Smith at Craven County Health Department Hospice at 252-636-4930.

Submitted by: Megan McGarvey, Director, Public Relations, CarolinaEast Health System