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As part of a commitment to continuing education for staff and volunteers, Hospice of Queen Anne’s invited Ann Smith, PhD, to speak about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), grief and other end of life issues. Dr. Smith, who is a clinical psychologist at the Veterans Administration outpatient clinic in Cambridge, discussed how PTSD may complicate caring for veterans who are living with a life-limiting illness.
Dr. Smith educated the Hospice of Queen Anne’s team about the special needs these patients may have and how to best accommodate for PTSD when developing patient care plans. Tom Brent, a Hospice of Queen Anne’s patient care volunteer and United States Marine Corps Vietnam veteran, says, “It was helpful to have Dr. Smith speak about this issue. We make veteran recognition a prominent part of our care for patients who have served in the military. It is also important to have empathy for these veterans and what they have experienced. Not everyone is familiar with the lasting trauma that war can create and part of what we do is to remind these veterans of the good that they have done.”
This continuing education program was offered through the Hospice of Queen Anne’s Hope & Healing Center. The Hope & Healing Center is the program through which Hospice of Queen Anne’s provides grief support services for people of all ages.
For more information about the Hospice of Queen Anne’s and The Hope & Healing Center, visit www.hospiceofqueenannes.org or call 443-262-4100.
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