I’ve been fortunate to have worked with so many non-profit organizations in Florida over my 20 years as a video producer. A few years ago, through a connection I made through my membership in the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, I began working with Trustbridge Hospice Care.
Now, this might surprise many of those who know me but I’ve always had somewhat of a fascination with death and dying. What goes through our minds when we know the end is near and how we might feel about that. This, of course, excludes sudden death by a 4 ton boulder landing on top of you or any similar type of death.
So to be able to get to know the medical staff at Trustbridge and interview the very people who are by someone’s bedside during those very last weeks/days was extremely rewarding. And for those people who might think that helping a person transition to whatever lies in store for us after we die is a thankless, unrewarding endeavor – think again.
What I’ve learned from my work with the good folks at Trustbridge is that helping someone die with dignity and without pain isn’t a job for the heartless – it’s all about having a heart. A big heart.
In this video I produced to promote the Trustbridge Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship Program right here in South Florida, I was able to interview several of the organization’s top medical staff and explore what being a hospice and palliative medicine professional is all about. I’ll let them explain…
The HCA Florida Healthcare JFK Hospital/University of Miami Miller School of Medicine GME Consortium Hospice and Palliative Medicine Program prepares selected physicians for board certification in hospice and palliative medicine. The consortium is comprised of four top-notch entities that include HCA/JFK Hospital, University of Miami, Trustbridge Hospice and West Palm Beach Veterans Affairs Medical Center. These institutions maintain a high level of excellence and are committed to providing high quality, educated physicians to serve the community.
Since 1978, Hospice of Palm Beach County, Hospice of Broward County and Hospice by the Sea have cared for 200,000 families in South Florida. These three hospices are now one branch of Trustbridge, a community nonprofit that provides support for families facing serious illness 24 hours a day. Our other services include palliative medicine, caregiver support and bereavement programs.
In 2024, Empath Health announced the official affiliation with Trustbridge and its affiliates, including Hospice of Palm Beach County and Hospice by the Sea. This strategic partnership solidified Empath Health’s position as the largest not-for-profit post-acute care organization in Florida, dedicated to providing Full Life Care to the community.