National Organization Honors Hospice of Palm Beach County with Compassionate Employer Award

National nonprofit organization The Compassionate Friends has honored Hospice of Palm Beach County with its Compassionate Employer Award. Hospice of Palm Beach County is being recognized for going above and beyond customary workplace practices in meeting the needs of grieving employees.

Employee Debbie Rosamelia nominated Hospice of Palm Beach County because of the kindness and compassion she experienced after the death of her son. She was deeply moved by the tremendous outpouring of support shown to her from employees throughout the organization, including CEO Dave Fielding. It really made a difference in helping her through the grieving process, she said.

The Compassionate Employer Award recognizes employers from across the country that show exceptional caring and compassion after an employee has experienced the death of a child, sibling or grandchild. This year’s recipients, including Hospice of Palm Beach County, will be announced in a national news release March 3.

The award is presented by The Compassionate Friends, a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide support for families following the death of a child of any age.

Six Hospice of Palm Beach County Physicians Among the First in the Country to Become Board Certified in Hospice and Palliative Medicine Sub-specialty

Six Hospice of Palm Beach County physicians have successfully passed the first ABMS sponsored certification examination for the newly created Hospice and Palliative Medicine sub-specialty and have obtained their ABMS certificate of added qualification.

The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) approved the creation of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (HPM) as a sub-specialty of ten participating boards in September 2006, and the first examination was administered by the American Board of Internal Medicine in October 2008.

The six physicians who received the certification are:

Richard Levene, DO, FAAFP, FAAHPM: VP of Medical Affairs
Faustino Gonzalez, MD: Access Medical Director
Robert Dudley, MD: Unit Medical Director
Daniel Fortier, MD: Assistant Medical Director
Marie Tromans, MD: Assistant Medical Director
Michael Falkowitz, MD: Assistant Medical Director

Is Hospice Kosher?

A presentation of Hospice of Palm Beach County.

Why are Jewish people reluctant to use hospice care?

How does the hospice concept compare with Jewish law and values?

Rabbi Dr. Chaim Wender and Marjorie Korenblit, RN, BSN, MA will be answering these and other significant questions that you may have.

Call today to schedule a presentation (888) 848-5200, ext. 5138.

Rabbi Dr. Chaim Wender is the Rabbinical Coordinator of Hospice of Palm Beach County. He earned an A.B. in Theology from Georgetown University (Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude), a Masters degree in Rabbinics and Hellenistics from the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion, rabbinic ordination from the Leo Baeck College, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from the Columbia Theological Seminary, where he specialized in Judaism and Gerontology. He is also Co-President of the Delray Beach Clergy Association.

Mrs. Korenblit is the South County External Educator for Hospice of Palm Beach County. She earned a BSN from the University of Michigan (cum laude) and was a member of Sigma Theta Tau nursing honor society. She has an MA in Education from New York University and was a Cardiac Care Unit nurse and nurse recruiter for Shaare Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem. Her past experience includes: Instructor, Shaare Zedek School of Nursing, Assistant to the Head of the Nursing Division, Hadassah Medical Organization, Jerusalem, and Coordinator of the Mid-Life Career Change Program at the Henrietta Szold Hadassah-Hebrew University School of Nursing.

Music Therapy Department Hosts National Education Conference

Hospice of Palm Beach County is hosting the first ever Continuing Music Therapy Education Conference February 6-8 at the C.W. Gerstenberg Hospice Center in West Palm Beach. Music therapists from across the United States will attend this educational conference as a way to fulfill the 20 credits they need to earn each year for certification. The Music Therapy department of Hospice of Palm Beach County is the first music therapy department in the nation to offer a conference of this scope.

At Hospice of Palm Beach County, board certified music therapists utilize music to meet the unique needs of patients and their families. Music therapy is a patient-centered, non-invasive intervention designed to alleviate pain and stress, effectively manage physical symptoms, facilitate emotional expression, enhance mood, stimulate memory recall, and provide unique opportunities for interaction and emotional intimacy.

As a recognized health profession, music therapists must complete a four-year undergraduate degree at an accredited university including courses in music therapy and history, psychology, anatomy and physiology, and music therapy methods. A 1,040 hour internship is required, after which prospective music therapists take a national board certification exam. To maintain their certification, music therapists must earn 100 hours of continuing education credits every five years. Having one of the leading music therapy departments in the country, Hospice of Palm Beach County selects three music therapy interns per year and is certified to provide continuing education.

The conference includes six different courses designed and presented by the music therapists at Hospice of Palm Beach County. All courses are approved by the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT).