Distance Learning Hospice Course
“The Art of Caring for Vaishnavas”
REGISTRATION is CURRENTLY OPEN for the Vaishnavas C.A.R.E. Distance Learning Course where you can study “The Art of Caring for Vaishnavas” in the quiet and comfort of your own home. You will receive access to the Six-session online video seminar that was presented at ISKCON Toronto (via “Protected Password” on this website), as well as receive the 126-page Vaishnavas CARE Student Workbook (Newly Revised) to follow along with the video seminar. In addition, you will receive a copy of my book, “The Final Journey–Complete Hospice Care for Departing Vaishnavas” (2nd Edition, Torchlight Publishing) via Post Office. You will have personal access to the author and presenter of the course, Sangita Devi Dasi (ACBSP), RN, GC-C (Certified Grief Counselor/Certified Grief Educator. You can either speak by phone/WhatsApp OR communicate by Email, if you prefer.
This course is especially designed to assist you in gaining a deeper understanding of how you personally feel about death and dying, and how you would feel about helping someone who is facing his or her final months, weeks, or days. The seminar also discusses how you can start a Vaishnavas C.A.R.E. team within your own temple or community to assist the devotees in your congregation in times of acute, chronic, or terminally-ill situations.
This online Vaishnavas CARE course can be started and completed at your own pace. However, we do recommend our students complete the course within SIX months. When you receive your packet which will be sent to you via Post Office, please feel free to begin reading the book, “The Final Journey.” At that time, you will also be emailed the “Protected Password” giving you access to the six online seminar videos on this website. Please begin to watch the videos when you feel ready. The workbook is designed to assist you as you watch the videos.
Approximately two – four short-answer questions and/or True/False questions pertaining to what you watched are posted under each video session. All of the questions are meant to assist you in better understanding the video seminar and the workbook. Reading “The Final Journey” book will give you further understanding of the subject matter that is being discussed. You are asked to answer the questions after you watch EACH VIDEO SESSION and then submit them to me for my response. In this way, this interactive course will assist you in learning the basics of hospice care as we correspond with one another throughout your learning journey. You are encouraged to write to me as well with any questions you may have along the way while watching the seminar or reading the material so you have a clear understanding of the subject matter as you move along in the coursework. I am here to assist you however I can.
Please pause the video and pay special attention to answer the exercises in the Student Workbook, especially the lengthy “Personal Awareness Exercise” that is discussed at the beginning of the seminar and written in your workbook. This is designed to help you with “self-reflection” pertaining to various aspects of death and dying. These questions, and discussion in the seminar video, are meant to assist you in gathering your early memories you may have had in your life related to dying. For example, “How old were you when you first experienced the loss of a loved one?” “Who was this?” “Do you remember how you felt at that time?” “How was the subject of death and dying discussed in your home when you were a child?” etc. etc. Exploring past experiences that are often forgotten over time can assist us in gaining a deeper understanding of our present thoughts and emotions pertaining to this subject matter so, if given the opportunity, we can better serve others at the end of their lives.
Some of the additional subjects we will be discussing in this course include:
*Basic hospice concepts and how they relate to our Krsna conscious philosophy
*Who makes up a professional hospice team?
*Who can initially contact the Hospice team?
*What are "Symbolic Losses" in our life & do we grieve for them?
*What are some of the emotional and spiritual pain a dying person may experience?
*What does it mean to “Hold Space” for someone?
*What does it mean when a terminally ill patient grieves the “loss of a future?”
*Personal stories about Srila Prabhupada providing Holistic Care
*How to Communicate With a Dying Patient & Family
*The Importance of Keeping Confidentiality!
*”The“Five Stages of Loss and Grief” by Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
*A possible 6th Stage – Finding meaning to your loss
*What are some practical services we can render to the sick and dying devotees in your congregation?
*What is Anticipatory Grief for the Patient? For the Family Members? For the children involved?
*How to Assist the Grieving family/close friends after the departure of a devotee?
*How Children Grieve According to Age & Development (Infant - 18 years old)
*How to Start a Vaishnavas Care Team in your community...
…And many more practical topics to give you the confidence to assist your family members and friends, and/or the devotees and families within your temple and congregation, whether they are acutely ill, chronically ill or facing their final months due a terminal illness.
At the end of this course, a Certificate of Completion will be mailed to you.
PLEASE NOTE: This course does NOT offer Continuing Educational Credits
(CEU's) nor does it count toward a professional degree or Certification.
This course is meant to provide you with a BASIC understanding of how to care
for Vaishnavas throughout life and especially how to render end-of-life care for a
terminally ill patient.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to write me at: “Contact Us”
at the bottom of the HOME page.
Yours in service to Srila Prabhupada,
Sangita Devi Dasi, RN, GC-C (Certified Grief Counselor)
Vaishnavas CARE President, Co-Founder
*Author & Presenter of the Vaishnavas CARE Hospice Seminars
*Author of The Final Journey–Complete Hospice Care for the Departing Vaishnavas
(1st & 2nd Editions/Torchlight Publishing)
*Was Primary Consultant on the design and construction of the Bhaktivedanta Hospice, Vrindavan, India (Presently Called Bhaktivedanta Hospital)
Created Hospice & Palliative Care Educational Coursework and Trained the Staff at the Bhaktivedanta Hospice/Hospital
"Thank you very much for this wonderful course! I have learned a lot and I am looking forward to my service as a Vaishnavas Care team member in our Chicago community!"
-- Dr. Sapna Patel, M.D.,
Chicago Vaishnavas CareTeam Volunteer
"Taking this course marked a pivotal point in my life. Mother Sangita's personal mentoring is moving me to experience genuine compassion and to connect that feeling with meaningful actions in the world. I am most grateful to have learned from her how to "hold space" for others because this practice is one of the most fulfilling and worthwhile actions that I can perform as a teacher, father, husband, and friend. The course content helped me clearly understand how to approach the helplessness we all experience when faced with some form of loss. I feel confident knowing how to be supportive to those around me who may be struggling with emotional or spiritual pain."
--Yogendra Das, Waldorf School Educator,
Toronto Vaishnavas Care Team Volunteer
Here's what some of our students have said about our Vaishnavas CARE Online Course...
"I cannot say enough about this inspiring course, "The Art of Caring for Vaishnavas." I learned so much about end-of-life care and how I can reach out and serve the devotees in need. Thank you so much for having Skype chats with me whenever I had questions or simply needed to speak to you concerning this deep subject. I thoroughly enjoyed taking this online course and highly recommend it to everyone who has an desire to learn this interesting and much-needed service. As a Nurse Practitioner/Nurse Midwife, I feel I have expanded my knowledge base so much by taking this enjoyable course. Thank you so much!"
--Jude McLoughlin, Nurse Practitioner/Midwife
Liverpool, England
"I really learned a lot from this online course. I feel I am more prepared to care for my elderly parents when the time comes for them to need my help. This is very important to us as a family. Taking this course gave me the confidence I need to one day fulfill my family responsibilities.
Thank you so much to Sangita Devi Dasi Mataji for her patience and desire to share her vast knowledge and experience with anyone who wants to learn this subject matter. She answered all of my questions in a timely manner. I am most grateful."
Sincerely,
Rushi P.
Hyderabad, India
"The Art of Caring for Vaishnavas" course exceeded all our expectations. My husband and I did the online course together and we really learned a lot about caring for others and about our own feelings about end-of-life issues. I highly recommend this course to anyone interested in helping others and learning about themselves. Sangita devi dasi's presentation, guidance, and knowledge were inspirational. As a nurse the course information was spot on. We loved learning from such an expert.
Jimmy Devine and Terry (Taruni) Devine R.N.
