CONFERENCES
 9.   Current Therapies & Future Trends in Oncology Nursing
10.   16th International Congress on Care of the Terminally Ill
11.  Forgiveness: Implications for Nursing Care
12.  From Cruzan to Schiavo:  What Have We Learned About the Right to Die in America?
13.  Practical Aspects Palliative Medicine: Integrating Palliative Care Into Clinical Medicine
14.  To Comfort Always – A Course on Palliative Care
15.  59th Annual Scientific Meeting:  Education and the Gerontological Imagination
16.  Healthcare Executives Continuing Education Cluster
17.  Annual Assembly American Academy of Hospice & Palliative Medicine

NEWS

1. Final Working Group Recommendations to be Released September 27
The final recommendations of the Citizen’s Health Care Working Group will be released September 27, 2006.  Prior to the finalization, Sr. Karin Dufault submitted a letter of recommendations regarding palliative care to the group on behalf of the Supportive Care Coalition and it’s board.  To view the final recommendations (on Sept. 27), as well as the Coalition’s letter, now posted, please visit www.CitizensHealthCare.gov.  The Coalition letter also is posted on the Coalition Web site as a news item, www.supportivecarecoalition.org.

OPPORTUNITIES

2. National Palliative Care Research Center (NPCRC)
      Grant Deadline November 1

Letters of Intent may be submitted online for the NPCRC pilot/exploratory project.  This is the first call for applications issued by the NPCRC - a groundbreaking effort to build strong evidenced-based palliative care research. This RFA is limited to applications that focus on palliative care research in one or more of three specific areas: Pain and symptom management, Improving communication among health care providers, patients and their families; Evaluating delivery models and systems of care for patients living with advanced illness and their families. For more information and an application, http://www.npcrc.org

3. Call for Papers by American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias (AJADD)

For and by professionals on the front lines of Alzheimer's care, dementia, and clinical depression, AJADD is a multi-disciplinary international forum for original, practice-oriented, clinical research, case studies and media reviews.  Topic focus includes administrative and legal issues, clinical issues, behavior management, brain research, care giving, communication strategies, evaluation, long-term care, memory loss, diagnostic tools, pharmacotherapy, psychosocial issues, restraint-free care, special care units, and symptom management.  Please submit original articles and/or reviews to editor Carol F. Lippa at ajadod@verizon.net or check the web site, http://alzheimers.sagepub.com, choose manuscript submission.

4. CHA Call for Nominations
        Nominations accepted through October 2, 2006

 To honor distinguished individuals and innovative programs that further the healing ministry of Jesus, the Catholic Health Association is calling for nominations for four awards to be presented at the Association’s 92nd assembly in June 2007.  Nominations are being taken in these categories:  Achievement Citation, for innovative programming; Sister Mary Concilia Moran, RSM, Award; Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Midcareer Award. www.chausa.org/2007Nominations

READINGS

5. Family Response to End-of-Life Education:
      Differences by Ethnicity and Stage of Caregiving
A study conducted by the Center on Aging, Office of Public Health Studies at the University of Hawaii, found that end-of-life measures varied by caregiver stage and ethnicity, suggesting that these factors need to be considered in developing educational interventions for family caregivers. American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Vol. 23, No. 4, 269-276 (2006).

6. Access to Hospice Reduces End-of-Life Hospitalization Rates 
Elderly nursing home patients who do not receive hospice care are twice as likely as those who receive the care to be admitted to a hospital in their last 30 days of life. Financial disincentives and failure to identify residents who could benefit from hospice care may affect access to services. (Gozalo/Miller, Health Services Research, 8/28; Medical News Today, 8/25; HealthDay, 8/24).

7. Cost of Medical Care Jumps after age 65
An article “The Value of Medical Spending in the United States, 1960–2000,” reports on a study that compares the gains in life expectancy with the increased costs of care during this time period.  Results show that after age 65, the cost of medical care takes a giant leap. The study, conducted by researchers at Harvard University and the University of Michigan, is published in the current New England Journal of Medicine. Source:  Hospice News Network  September 5, 2006

RESOURCES

8. New Advocacy Toolkit from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
Designed as a one-stop resource for end-of-life care advocates, the new 2006 toolkit, “Hospice Advocacy:  Telling Your Story, Making a Difference,” is available for download at the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organizations’ Web site. Members will find the resource at www.nhpco.org/publicpolicy

CONFERENCES

9. Current Therapies & Future Trends in Oncology Nursing
September 22-23, 2006 / Walla Walla, WA
Sponsored by St. Mary Medical Center

Hear about the latest therapies and future trends for treating cancer.  For more information and registration, please contact St. Mary’s Training and Development staff, 1-509-522-5920, or e-mail mablsh@smmc.com

10. 16th International Congress on Care of the Terminally Ill
September 26-29, 2006 / Montréal, Canada
Presented by Palliative Care Division, Departments of Medicine and Oncology, McGill University

Sr. Karin Dufault and Dr. Christina Puchalski, MD, will present the Coalition’s spirituality initiative project at this premier international palliative care conference. Focus will include pediatric palliative care, healing and whole-person care, non-cancer end-of-life care, self-esteem, respiratory palliative care, and volunteerism. www.pal2006.com

11. Forgiveness: Implications for Nursing Care
October 13-14, 2006 / Valley Forge, PA
Sponsored by Nurses Christian Fellowship

The one-day seminar on October 13 will examine areas of hurt - related to physical problems, barriers and benefits - and the healing process of forgiveness. The following retreat will offer an opportunity for participants to experience the freedom of forgiveness. For more information, http://ncf.intervarsity.org/conferences/main.html

12. From Cruzan to Schiavo:  What Have We Learned About the Right to Die in America?
October 16, 2006, 7-8 pm / Vancouver, WA
Sponsored by Southwest Washington Medical Center and Washington State University

Attorney and author William "Bill" H. Colby brings his first-hand experience as the lawyer who represented the family of Nancy Cruzan and brought the first right-to-die case to be heard by the United States Supreme Court.  Registration required, www.swmedicalcenter.org/body.cfm?id=3135

13. Practical Aspects of Palliative Medicine:
      Integrating Palliative Care Into Clinical Medicine
October 22-26, 2006 / Boston, MA
Sponsored by Harvard Medical School Center for Palliative Care & Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

The three-day course is designed to offer physicians and other clinicians the core information and skills needed to provide palliative care in practice settings.
http://www.hms.harvard.edu/cdi/pallcare/PAPM_Application.htm

14. To Comfort Always – A Course on Palliative Care
November 14-16, 2006 pre-conference November 13 / Minneapolis, MN
Sponsored by North Memorial Continuing Education and North Memorial Hospice

Hear from esteemed experts in the field of hospice and palliative care as they share practical, clinical information that can immediately be implemented to improve care-giving skills.  The pre-conference will focus on evidence-based practices for pain and symptom management. www.northmemorial.com/healthcareprof/ce.cfm

15. 59th Annual Scientific Meeting:
      Education and the Gerontological Imagination
November 16-20, 2007 / Dallas, TX
Sponsored by the Gerontological Society of America

Learn ways to nurture the “gerontological imagination” at this four-day conference featuring keynote speaker Thomas Kirkwood, PhD, co-director of the Institute for Ageing and Health at the University of Newcastle in England. www.agingconference.com

16. Healthcare Executives Continuing Education Cluster
December 4-7, 2006 / San Antonio, TX
Sponsored by the Foundation of American College of Healthcare Executives

These lifelong learning clusters provide resources and tools to help keep health care organizations on the leading edge.  The two-day format allows access to multiple topics.  For more information, www.ache.org
 
17. Annual Assembly of American Academy of Hospice & Palliative Medicine and
      Hospice & Palliative Nurses Association
February 14-17, 2007 / Salt Lake City, UT

Designed for physicians, nurses, and other health care providers interested in acquiring, maintaining, or expanding the skills needed to care for patients with terminal illnesses.
These organizations combine their expertise to advance the field, thus meeting the joint goals of improving care for persons with life-limiting, progressive illnesses through education.
http://www.aahpm.org/education/conf/index.html