What's important to you?

There are a lot of misconceptions in our society about the grieving process, which can hamper and cause undue anxiety for individuals as they grieve. In this episode, our Bereavement Counselors will look at some of these misconceptions and share an understanding which we hope will resonate with the many facets of grief experience that individuals may encounter.

Did you know that our Volunteer Program has several diverse opportunities through which volunteers can dedicate their time? Join us in conversation with Heather Boyle, our Director of Volunteer Services, as she shares details about the various facets of care within our program. She describes each discipline in detail, additional trainings built into the program, and how our program's flexibility supports volunteer retention and growth.

In this episode, we speak with guest Heather Boyle, Director of Volunteer Services, about the substantial Volunteer Program at Montgomery Hospice and Prince George's Hospice. She describes the history of our program, our robust training, skills that help volunteers maintain morale and longevity in the field, and more.

In this episode, we speak with guests Reverend Dr. Sterling King Jr, retired pastor, and his wife Dr. Rosalyn King, retired pharmacist, about their personal experience with Advance Care Planning. This includes workshops, family situations, spiritual conversations, and throughout it all -  how they saw the value of having an advance care plan. For more information and resources about Advance Care Planning, please visit www.montgomeryhospice.org/acp. 

Una conversación con la Dra. Lissa Berroa Garcia, en la que nos explica qué son los Cuidados Paliativos y de qué manera nos pueden ayudar a manejar diversos síntomas cuando tenemos una enfermedad seria. Ella nos explica como los cuidados paliativos pueden ayudar al paciente a manejar los efectos - tanto de la propia enfermedad como los de los tratamientos severos - y ayudan a mejorar su calidad de vida. What is Palliative Care, in Spanish

Grief is an experience that can leave us feeling vulnerable and messy. Join us as we talk with Kip Ingram, our Director of Bereavement and Susan Wilensky, our Montgomery Kids bereavement counselor, as they share with us what makes for good listening, the gift of silence, and the importance of being non-judgmental when in the presence of somebody grieving the loss of a loved one.  Listen to this timely conversation as we recognize Grief Awareness Day and the losses many of us have experienced in recent times.

In this episode, we feature a panel with two hospice staff and members of the LGBTQ community, having an open discussion that aims to address the needs of the LGBTQ community at the end of life. The host and panelists identify some misconceptions in caring for LGBTQ patients, discuss spirituality, and explore ways in which professional caregivers can be more supportive for the aging LGBTQ community at the end of life.   Ending song credit: “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga.

We are joined by a Hospice and Palliative Care Physician from White Oak Adventist Hospital, Dr. John Dunkle, our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. David Schrier, and our staff Hospice Liaison, Robin Ross, in a panel conversation on advance care planning and the value of palliative care in a hospital setting. This timely discussion addressed some of the major parts of the process: what could trigger a palliative care consult in the hospital, when is the best time to refer, how the transition from discharge to a palliative care team happens, and more.

We are having a conversation with Dr. Gloria Anderson, an expert in Advance Care Planning. Join us as she shares her personal journey towards making healthcare decisions for herself and loved ones - and how this has shaped her career in advocating for Advance Care Planning in African American communities.

In this special edition episode on palliative care, hear from a panel of expert clinicians at Palliative Medicine Consultants on: what palliative care is, when it is appropriate, their experience in the field, and the difference that palliative medicine can make in the patient's daily life. 

In honor of Women's History Month, we had a conversation with four extraordinary women who work in hospice care. Join us as they share with us their journey as healthcare professionals caring for individuals at the end of life, their passion for their professions, who inspires them, and their advice for other women in this role.   Ending song credit: “Respect” by Aretha Franklin.

In honor of Black History Month, we have a poignant conversation with four members of our hospice staff. They share with us powerful stories of growing up as African Americans in the DMV area, their family values, and their wisdom. Join us as they describe how these experiences shaped their journey as women in healthcare and the importance of caring for the African American community at the end of life. Ending song credit: “Lift Every Voice And Sing” Performed by Davey Yarborough & Esther Williams at a TEDx Pearl Street Talk

Hospice and palliative care are two services that can improve the quality of life at the end of life. Understanding the differences and similarities between the two is key to making an informed healthcare decision. Listen to this episode featuring our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. David Schrier to understand the relationship between hospice and palliative care.

Hospice nurses meet patients and families at one of most vulnerable time of their lives. At Montgomery Hospice and Prince George's Hospice, we are fortunate to have the most dedicated and compassionate people in healthcare, working to serve our patients. In honor of International Nurses Day, we interviewed our Director of Clinical Access Services, Sharon Cline for this Episode of What's Import to You. In this episode, Sharon discusses the different types and roles of hospice nurses. She also talks about some of the best and most difficult parts of being a hospice nurse.

March is Social Work Month. With this episode we hope to salute the many social workers who advocate for a better quality of life for patients, families and community members. Our Social workers at Montgomery Hospice and Prince George’s Hospice provide specialized care by helping patients and families learn coping skills, resolve emotional, psychological and grief suffering as well as help patients and families with practical task. In this episode you will hear Beth Kreimeyer, a clinical social worker, for Montgomery Hospice and Prince George's Hospice, with almost 14 years of hospice social work experience discuss how she helps families with difficult  discussions, address their feelings and prepare for loss and grief.

What is Hospice Care? What makes Montgomery Hospice and Prince Georges Hospice unique? Listen to this very special episode of What’s Important to you as DMV Spotlight, a radio station on ESPN 630 , shines a light on hospice and palliative care. This interview features, Dr Geoff Coleman, Chief Medical Officer, and Monica Escalante, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Communications Officer of Montgomery Hospice and Prince George’s Hospice. Dr. Coleman and Monica discuss the various services offered by Montgomery Hospice from Support Groups on Grief to Comfort Care in -home or in extended care facilities including music, pet, aroma and massage therapies. This is an episode you do not want to miss!

The goal of hospice care is to relieve the suffering of patients and their families by offering comprehensive care that addresses the patients’ physical, psycho-social, and spiritual needs. Spirituality means different things to different people. Everyone has spiritual needs throughout their lives whether they follow a religion or not. For this episode, we invited Maude Harrison-Hudson, one of the Bereavement Counselor for Montgomery Hospice and Prince George’s Hospice, to give us her perspectives on spirituality at end of life. Maude uses anecdotal stories from her personal experience to highlight the integral role spirituality plays in patient care.

Do you have an Advance Directive? Have you had the discussion regarding who you would want to make healthcare decisions for you if you are not able to make them for yourself? What happens when we don't have conversations about our health care wishes? Listen to this special episode of What's Important to You, where Dr. Shahid Aziz discusses ways to prepare for difficult conversation and offers practical strategies on how to have meaningful conversations on advance directives.

When someone in your family is nearing the end, can the children handle it?  How much should you tell them? How close do you allow them to get?  Listen to today's interview with our Clinical Manager of Montgomery Kids to learn how to support children as they experience the death of a loved one. 

There is great meaning and purpose in the experience of Caregiving. But the role also comes with high levels of burden and stress. In hospice, the multidisciplinary team is uniquely positioned to initiate and model supportive care to both patients and their family. What if the family needs specific attention or effort, and is challenging to work with? Listen to an interview with one of our Social Workers, Lisa Frank, to learn more about how to deal with "demanding" families.

Talking to patients and families about hospice care is difficult.  Why are conversations about end-of-life issues so important? Will patients think you’re giving up? Does it get easier with time? In this episode, we visited the Riderwood Medical Center to gain insight on how some providers approach end-of-life conversations, the time limitations, and resistance to care.

The holiday season is often accompanied with family gatherings, festivities, and feelings of joy. But for someone who has lost a loved one and is grieving, this time of year can evoke feelings of sadness and loneliness. In this episode we interviewed Our Director of Bereavement Care, Kip Ingram, who shared with us practical tips to help people get through the first holiday.  

Why do people decide to work in the hospice field? Isn’t it depressing?  Listen to today’s podcast for a glimpse into Montgomery Hospice and the employees that work in the end-of-life care field.  In lieu of National Hospice Month, our first podcast is dedicated to hospice workers all over.