Despite an increase in specialized pediatric palliative care programs there remain inadequacies in end of life (EOL) care for children. This presentation will review the perspectives of 28 Spanish- and English-speaking bereaved parents who detailed qualitative experiences about their children’s end of life care. Parents’ perspectives from the study highlight the importance of 1) supporting home death and low medical intensity of EOL care, 2) policies/programs that allow families to spend as much time with their child at EOL as possible, and 3) continuing care at EOL and beyond.

Under the best of circumstances, the physical and emotional demands of life can strain even the most resilient person. As we continue to navigate daily life through a pandemic, making time for self-care is more important than ever. A proven tool to boost resilience is through the practice of mindfulness.

In this 60 minute interactive virtual education session, you will gain an understanding of mindfulness, and be guided through science-backed techniques known to interrupt the stress cycle, improve health, happiness, and focus.

Families no longer need to choose.  The Affordable Care Act, Section 2302, Concurrent Care for Children, allows children to continue to receive curative-focused and life-prolonging therapies in conjunction with the specialized support of hospice care.   While this is a positive step forward in obtaining better care for seriously ill children, there continues to be confusion and limited awareness of the provision among pediatric clinicians, hospice providers, and state Medicaid programs in Illinois.   

This webinar will offer practical tips and case studies to illustrate how  Concurrent Care and collaboration from hospital to home can improve the management of symptoms and provide support to seriously ill children and their families.

Children's Grief Awareness Day is designed to help us all become more aware of the needs of grieving children — and of the benefits they obtain through the support of others. Children's Grief Awareness Day is an opportunity to make sure that grieving children receive the support they need.

The death of a child creates a wave of emotional trauma that reverberates through families, schools, faith communities, sports teams, and entire communities. Healthcare providers have a unique opportunity to build partnerships with funeral professionals in the emotional and complex responsibility of guiding a family through many difficult decisions that can shape the final moments and memories of a family and their community following the death of a child. This session will present findings from an innovative project that brought together hospital, hospice, funeral service, grief professionals and parents to examine best practices for the continuum of care following the death of a child.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

No matter the age, children anticipate, experience, and grieve the death of loved ones. Participants will explore the developmental understanding of death through the eyes of a child. Developmentally appropriate tools will be shared to encourage inclusion and involvement of younger family members in the illness and anticipated death of their loved ones as well as the grief process that follows.