The Hospice of Rutherford County Speaker’s Bureau is a free public service for groups who want to learn more about Hospice, caregiving, grief, planning for the future and a variety of other topics. Hospice staff and volunteers are available seven days (or evenings) a week to talk to churches, schools, businesses, and civic organizations. The following is a partial list of available topics:

• Advance Care Planning (Living wills, health care power of attorney, etc.)
• Care for the Caregiver
• Caring for Alzheimer’s Patients
• Children’s Grief Perspectives
• Crisis Care
• Developing Communication Skills
• End-of-Life Education
• Family Dynamics
• Grief During the Holidays
• Hospice House
• Hospice Medicare Benefit
• Hospice Overview (What Makes Us Different)
• Hospice versus Palliative Care
• Patient Rights
• Survival After the Loss of A Child
• Survival After the Loss of a Loved One
• Stages of Grief
• Teens in Grief
• Volunteer Opportunities
• Widowhood - A New BeginningHospice of Rutherford County also has staff and volunteers who can conduct church services and provide musical entertainment in any setting.
• Groups can also tour the Hospice Annette Cash Whitaker Center of Living and Hospice House and have a speaker talk about any of the previously mentioned topics.
• Groups are welcome to bring a lunch and utilize the Center of Living grounds or community board room.
• The outside children’s counseling area is available for Sunday school or other school groups.
• The Hospice Center of Living contains a library with many materials on grief, caregiving, etc. that anyone can check out.

For more information or to request a speaker please contact Heidi Owen.

Please provide at least two weeks notice when requesting a speaker. Provide the group name, number expected to attend, topic requested, date, time, amount of time allowed for presentation, address and contact phone number. Materials will be provided for participants. Hospice can also customize additional topics to meet the needs of your group.