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Hospice of Philadelphia Trains Medical Mission Sisters in Hospice and Bereavement Counseling

Posted on: Monday, 22 December 2008, 15:31 CST

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Experts from Hospice of Philadelphia's bereavement program recently trained six retired Medical Mission Sisters to provide counseling on a volunteer basis.

The Medical Mission Sisters are an international Roman Catholic congregation of women, many of whom are nurses, doctors and social workers, dedicated to providing a variety of health and wellness services and spiritual support to people in need. The partnership with Hospice of Philadelphia is part of a larger initiative for sisters to remain actively involved in their healing ministry after retirement. The North American headquarters of the Medical Mission Sisters is in Northeast Philadelphia.

"The Medical Mission Sisters have dedicated their lives to helping the sick, less fortunate and those in need of spiritual uplifting around the world," said Valerie Turner, volunteer coordinator for Hospice of Philadelphia. "Their participation adds another dimension to how Hospice of Philadelphia can help families in great need of comfort and support."

Hospice of Philadelphia, a service of The Visiting Nurse Association of Greater Philadelphia (VNA), trains volunteers to provide bereavement services to approximately 600 families per year for more than a year after a loved one's passing. Bereavement counseling helps family members recover emotionally and socially, and now with the help of the Medical Mission Sisters, spiritually, from the loss of a loved one.

As one of the largest not-for-profit, community-based health care providers in the area, the VNA works with more than 125 volunteers to meet the needs of Greater Philadelphia residents. For more information about the volunteer program or how to get involved, please visit www.vnaphilly.org or call 1-800-VNA-1160.

About Hospice of Philadelphia

Hospice of Philadelphia, a service of The Visiting Nurse Association of Greater Philadelphia, provides home care, respite and inpatient services to patients with progressive illnesses. Other services provided for patient comfort and family support are alternative therapies such as massage and music therapy, which help promote the patients' and families' well being.

About The Visiting Nurse Association of Greater Philadelphia

The Visiting Nurse Association of Greater Philadelphia is a leading not-for-profit provider of comprehensive 24-hour in-home and community health care to residents of Philadelphia, Bucks, Delaware and Montgomery counties. Since 1886, The Visiting Nurse Association of Greater Philadelphia has provided highly specialized, cost effective services to Southeastern Pennsylvania residents regardless of their ability to pay. For more information on The Visiting Nurse Association of Greater Philadelphia or the services it provides, visit www.vnaphilly.org or call 1-800-VNA-1160.

About the Medical Mission Sisters

The Medical Mission Sisters are an international congregation of Catholic women whose mission is to be a healing presence among those in need. Founded in 1925 in Washington, DC, by Austrian-born Doctor Anna Dengel, they were the first Catholic Sister-doctors in the Church. Today their 625 members, from 23 different nations, serve the sick and poor in a wide variety of health-related services in 18 countries around the world. For more information: www.medicalmissionsisters.org

SOURCE Hospice of Philadelphia

Source: PR Newswire

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