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| Retreat Participants |
Spirituality can be a sacred piece of a person’s life, including as the end of life draws near. Several of our employees of many disciplines came together for a two–day retreat to examine the spiritual pain that some hospice patients and families face. They also explored their own spiritual experiences.
Presenters were Richard Groves, an author and co-founder of the Sacred Art of Living Center, and physicians Marlis Beir and Dean Sharpe, who work to address the spiritual pain and comfort of the patients in their practice. The staff who attended will delve further into their education through a series of small group meetings.
Valuable Learning
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| Richard Groves Presents |
Dwight Douglass, a bereavement counselor, was impacted personally and professionally by the retreat. He felt re–energized with his beliefs and past training and gained some new insights for his bereavement care.
“Richard provided a framework and tools, which are useful in my work with our bereaved. This spiritual support will help us facilitate a safe place for our patients and families to express their sense of spirit and healing on many levels,” Dwight said.
Continued Education
Elle Wolf–Muhleck, a Suncoast Hospice Care Center Mid-Pinellas chaplain, helped organize the program and will lead one of the small groups. She’s glad to expose so many of our staff to this area and connect it to her spiritual care.
“It’s not just a training it’s a personal growth commitment. It validates my core beliefs and healing work and enables me to support others in their healing. I look forward to working with my group to continue the learning and make this come alive,” Elle said.
Are you thinking about a profession in hospice care? Check out our job listings.
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| Giovanni Bordignon |
Our staff and volunteers have the honor of providing care and support in the homes of our patients and families. They get to know patients and families, and honor their care choices.
Giovanni Bordignon is a counselor with one of our home–based care teams. When he goes into homes, he learns everything he can about those in his care so he can make them feel comfortable.
“Our care teams support our patients and their families and caregivers by getting to know their stories. We openly answer the personal questions they ask us. We offer validation and affirmation to their choices of treatment and provide any clarification they need. We embrace their lifestyles and environments, taking roles as guests in their homes,” Giovanni said.
He says developing good relationships from the start helps bring enormous relief. “It’s quite amazing to experience their relief and comfort once we are able to provide them with information and resources. The relationships are well–established and a good rapport is found,” he said.
Joan Briant also likes going into the homes of families to provide help. She’s a registered nurse (RN) with our supplemental staff–PRN department who works in admissions and talks with families about our care.
“I’m really grateful for this job. It’s great to go into families’ homes and find out what they need. A lot of times they feel relieved,” Joan said.
Do you have a story about the care you or a family member received at home? Please share it.
