Many Important Lessons

We offer a variety of free classes and seminars on issues related to end-of-life care, counseling, and grief support, designed for healthcare workers and the community-at-large. Please see the list courses listed below. If your organization or event requires a topic not listed, we will be happy to design a presentation for you. Presenters include members of our experienced, professionally trained physician, nursing, and counseling staff.

To request a group presentation, please call Denise Stancill, Director of Business Development , at 616.396.2972, for available dates and times. Classes are held at your location or at the Hospice of Holland’s administrative office. Most topics last one hour, but can be tailored to your needs. Click here for a printable version of our Clinical & Community Education Topics.

The following presentations are appropriate for healthcare professionals as noted, including physicians, RNs, LPNs, CNAs, home health aides, and other direct-care workers.

Bathing Without a Battle—Linked to our “Still Me” Dementia program, these simple interventions will help caregivers provide personal care for dementia patients.

Dementia vs. Delirium—Agitated patients with dementia and delirium can present with similar symptoms. It’s important to understand which condition they have, as treatment for them is different.

Fall Prevention—Caregivers learn strategies and interventions to help predict fall risk and minimize or eliminate injuries.

Non-Hospice Palliative Care – Physicians—This course focuses on our palliative care program, which treats individuals who are not yet ready for hospice care, but are in need of symptom management related to a serious illness.

Providing Care and Comfort – CNAs/HHAs—Learn how the dying process affects the body, and explore ways to provide comfort and relief.

“Still Me”- End-of-Life Care for the Advanced Dementia Patient—This topic centers on Hospice of Holland’s “Still Me” program goals reflecting our mission: bringing comfort, dignity and quality of life to people with advanced dementia.

Aging and the Loss of Independence—This presentation offers practical suggestions for coping with and adapting to physical, social and emotional losses that naturally occur throughout the aging process.

Good Grief: Embracing the Journey—This talk focuses on enabling individuals to make the most of a difficult time.

How Children Grieve—Learn to understand and support children of all ages as they experience grief in their own way.

Leaving a Legacy—This presentation provides ideas and suggestions for preserving your thoughts and memories to create a lasting legacy.

Making Your Wishes Known—This presentation provides the tools to approach complicated healthcare decisions from a position of thoughtful planning, rather than having to react during a crisis situation.

Professional Grief—If you confront multiple and continuous losses at your work site, this presentation will help to identify and process this grief, maintain a professional balance, and prevent burnout.

Walking with Others Through Grief—Learn to be a confident and comforting companion. This is a natural follow-up to “What is the Right Thing to Say.”

What is the Right Thing to Say?—Learn thoughtful and caring ways to communicate to loved ones or friends as they face terminal illness or other difficulties when you might otherwise feel “at a loss for words.”

These presentations are available for all interested community groups.

Hospice 101—Learn about the hospice philosophy and all patient care services available. This includes interdisciplinary team approach, hospice’s role in end-of-life care, and the benefits of advanced planning.

Finding Your Spiritual Connection—This presentation highlights the differences between a religious and spiritual life, how to have both, and how to connect to the spiritual part of one’s self even if there is no religious connection.

Finishing Well – The Spiritual Perspective—Finishing well involves a spiritual and a social readiness to die. Learn how God, in His grace, can help us to desire Him above all else, giving us a desire and a peace to depart and be with Him.

Happiness is a Choice—Discuss techniques that can be used to maintain focus on an optimistic approach to living.

Healthy Pleasures—This topic looks at health benefits attached to some of life’s simple pleasures. It explains tools we can use to become aware of how to build potentially healthy pleasures into our daily lives.

Strong Emotions—Learn healthy ways to deal with strong emotions like sadness and anger, in the context of grief. Particular attention will be paid to how Christians can express their strong emotions to God using the Psalms.

The DASH Diet: A Guide to Lifelong Healthy Eating—Learn the DASH Diet basics and how this healthy approach to eating can promote lowered blood pressure and potentially protect against cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Our Registered Dietitian will be available to address your nutrition questions.

Where Is God When You Need Him—A presentation, primarily from the Christian perspective, that addresses the spiritual pain which results when we feel God is not present or is ignoring our cries for help. Throughout the presentation possible meanings and explanations for the silence will be discussed, as well as suggested practices to again be able to hear God’s voice.

Why Am I Still Here—Learn how to find and view your purpose in life, from a religious perspective, when it seems there is no purpose left. God always has a purpose for our life; sometimes we just need a little help finding it.