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About
Project Descriptions
Employer Work Group
Virginia McDonald, Chair
Community Advisory Council member Dennis Baker, St. Gobain/Norton; Mark Brophy, Worcester Public Schools; Steve Carey, Polar Beverages; Board member Bill Densmore; Christine MacWade, Family Services of Central Mass; Virginia McDonald, Webster Five Cents Savings Bank; Mark Stacey, St. Gobain/Norton; Eileen O’Brien, Central MA Agency on Aging; Matt Stepanski, Central MA Employers Association (CMEA); Russ Vickstrom, Worcester State College.
Promote Advance Care Planning via A Guide for a Better Ending, Provide Caregiver Information
and Support for Employees
Accomplished: The Employer Work Group began an information campaign for area employers with presentations to the Human Resources Management Association (HRMA), CMEA, the Colleges of Worcester Consortium and the Auburn Rotary Club, and also participated in the Central MA Elder Fair on October 6.
The Employer Work Group has created a self-contained training program to be used by area employers in educating their workforces. The program consists of a PowerPoint presentation, speaker’s notes, A Guide for A Better Ending and a set of five Workplace Solutions handouts on the following topics: “Best Practices: End-of-Life Benefits and Policies”; “When an Employee Is Seriously Ill”; “Dealing With the Loss of an Employee”; “Grief: Working and Living After the Loss of a Loved One”; and “The Working Caregiver.” The seven-minute Better Ending videotape is also available for use when time permits. One version of the PowerPoint is provided for HR directors and other managers, and another for employees. The management version includes a strong “why it’s good business” message. For social service agency employees, material is added to equip employees who are in contact with clients to discuss end-of-life and caregiver issues and to provide the Guide; the presentation has been certified for Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
HRMA and CMEA have included information about the program in their publications. The Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce has supported Better Ending by hosting an informational meeting, putting out information in their e-mail newsletter, providing a link on their website, putting the Better Ending flyer on their information rack, and inviting CMP to take part in their Sunday Morning Region On The Move radio show with Hank Stolz.
The workplace program has been launched. Presentations were made to all supervisors of Polar Beverage Corporation during the month of November. The Employer Work Group has made a presentation to the Massachusetts Association of School Personnel Administrators. The Employer Work Group is continuing its outreach to area employers - businesses, nonprofit organizations, colleges, schools and government organizations. The Guide has been distributed to 4,000 employees of the Worcester Public Schools via school principals, with a letter from Superintendent Caradonio. Several major employers, including the City of Worcester, have agreed to introduce Better Ending to their employees.
Planned: The goal for June 06 is personal contacts to facilitate the establishment of workplace educational programs related to these issues in at least 50% of the organizations with 500 or more employees (about 30 companies), and reaching many employers in the 100 to 499 employee category (about 100 companies). |
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