Caregiver Academy

Support and Empowerment for the Caregivers in our Community.

Cutting Edge Education in our Community.

Coastal Hospice brings cutting edge education to healthcare professionals and caregivers in our community through our Caregiver Academy. Our online programs are free and focus on bringing timely and relevant clinical education on end-of-life topics to clinicians and healthcare workers in general, as well as vital information in support of patients and their families, from practical to spiritual. Our goal is to share a wealth of information that our experts in End-of-Life Care at Coastal Hospice have accumulated in more than four decades caring for our communities.

    Thank you to all that were able to attend our 2024 Caregiver Academy online educations! 

    Details for 2025 will be announced in January !

    latest programs

    Approaching End of Life: Signs and Symptoms

    September 2024

    End-of-life care and what to expect can be a difficult topic. Ann Lovely, Coastal Hospice Interim President & CEO gently guided our attendees with her expertise through this process while discussing what to expect in the last moments of life.

    Innovations in Cardiac Care for Hospice Patients

    August 2024

    Cardiac disease has become responsible for more deaths than all types of cancer in our community. Through innovations of hospice and palliative care, Coastal Hospice began a disease specific program in 2023, helping manage end stage cardiac disease in collaboration with primary care providers and specialists. The goal is to help improve quality of life as well as communicate the patient’s goals of care. Dr. Stacy Cottingham Stacy Cottingham, MSN, RN explained how the Cardiac Care Program at Coastal Hospice can significantly impact our local community as patients and caregivers become empowered to take charge of their care in the last stages and prevent the cycle of emergency room visits.

    June 2024

    Serious Illness Conversations: Your Approach Matters

    Communicating goals of care and treatment preferences with patients and their families experiencing serious illness can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. Dr. Carpenter spoke about several techniques to improve your skills in conducting serious illness conversations.

    November 2023

    Approaching End of Life: Signs and Symptoms

    End-of-life care and what to expect can be a difficult topic. Our Chief Clinical Officer, Ann Lovely gently guided us with her expertise through this process, while discussing what to expect in the last moments of life.

    August 2023

    Pain Management in Palliative Care

    We held our second in-person presentation at TidalHealth. Our Chief Medical Director, Dr. Ghulam Waris, F.A.A.G.M. and Chief Clinical Officer, Ann Lovely, RN, BSN, CHPN – both from Coastal Hospice shared the latest information in Pain Management in Palliative Care. They addressed the importance of the multidisciplinary team approach, correct assessment and re-assessment, breakthrough strategies, and the impact that appropriate pain management has in the quality of life of patients and their families.

    April 2023

    Difficult Conversations at the End of Life

    At our first in-person presentation, Dr. Waris shared tools on how to approach the hard conversations that healthcare providers must have with patients facing life-limiting conditions. He shared his own strategies for meeting patients where they are, choosing helpful words, and having meaningful and productive conversations with patients and their families. This presentation was in In partnership with TidalHealth Peninsula Regional.

    January 2023

    Beat the Winter Blues

    Winter is here and Seasonal Affective Disorder is a real thing! Many of us are affected by it to some degree, whether we are aware of it or not. Our presenters identified the realities involved and how to not only survive, but thrive during the colder, darker, winter months. Maybe you struggle with this yourself or work with a population that does. Take some time to invest in yourself and your work as we explore this phenomenon together.

    January 2024

    Dr. Mary Lynn McPherson discussed “right-sizing” medication regimens for patients living with a serious illness. Medication management of metabolic syndrome and advanced Alzheimer’s disease were used as examples of a critical thinking process that results in maximizing the appropriate of drug therapy.

    September 2023

    Advanced Illness Doulas: How They Help

    Many people might be unaware that the term “doula,” which has been used since the 1980s to refer to birth and postpartum care, was first used to refer to death care in the late 1990s. After accompanying her mother through her illness and death, former hospice nurse Deanna Cochran became one of the pioneers of the death doula movement.

    Our presenter, Alvin Harmon explained how Advanced Illness Doulas have the power to significantly impact lives, assisting those who are dying to have “a good death”, while providing solace and peace of mind to their loved ones. It is in this space that an otherwise terrifying event is transformed into a sacred time that forges a sacred memory for the family. Being the presence that understands that what is happening is not abnormal or harmful while holding that space for the family is the Advance Illness Doula’s mission and goal.

    June 2023

    Is My Patient Rady for Hospice?

    In this live webinar, Dr. Joan Carpenter identified tools for prognostication to determine hospice eligibility and discussed the importance of establishing goals of care for the patient. Dr. Carpenter also shared timely information about hospice services and showed strategies for having these conversations with providers and families.

    February 2023

    Black History and Healthcare: Past, Present & Future

    Did you know that until the 1960’s Black doctors and patients were not allowed in most US hospitals? This restriction, along with many other factors, severely contributed to the poor health status of the Black Community. This is why having authentic discussions around the Black Community’s justified mistrust of the medical and scientific arenas are vital. In this live webinar, we took a look at how the current disparities have not only challenged our ability to provide quality care for this population but also how they obstruct the willingness of this community to participate in conversations concerning their own care. Listen in as we share some of the recent initiatives as they relate to supporting the Black Community when facing life-limiting illnesses.

    November 2022

    Understanding the Role of a Hospice Care Team

    We learned about the different people who make up a multidisciplinary hospice team, and how they can help you and your family.

    For questions or more details about our Caregiver Academy program, please send us an email or call 410-742-8732.

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