The learning sessions are free, the five continuing education units are free, even the meals are free: All that remains is for people to register online for the Caring for the Continuum of Life: A 2019 Healthcare Symposium. It will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 19 at First Baptist Church of Highland Park, 6801 Sheriff Road, Landover, Maryland.

Last year’s inaugural event was so successful, Hospice of the Chesapeake, Chesapeake Life Center and Chesapeake Palliative Medicine will once again host this free educational opportunity for professionals and community members. The symposium will feature a full day of presentations from more than 15 experts in the fields of hospice and palliative care, grief counseling and spirituality. Three of the nine sessions offer free continuing education units for Maryland social workers, while all will offer insight into important end-of-life topics that should be part of the vocabulary of every health professional and family.

Karen Bullock, Ph.D., LCSW, a professor and the Assistant Dean of the School of Social Work at North Carolina State University, will open the session with “Courage, Hope and Transformative Leadership: Key Components in Connecting Culture to Caring for Those with Serious Illness.” Professionals can earn one CEU with this session that will explore the racial and ethnic disparities in access and utilization of palliative and hospice care.

This will be followed by a series of breakout sessions in two different tracks. The first track for professionals offers two sessions, each offering two CEUs. Yolanda Wilson, Ph.D., an Assistant Professor at Howard University will present, “Implicit Bias and Racism in End-of-Life Care,” and Deborah G. Haskins, Ph.D., President for the Maryland Council on Problem Gambling, will present “This Is Too Hard,” a discussion of coping after loss to homicide and providing hope to its survivors.

A second track is designed to offer information of interest to people in the community. The five sessions include a discussion of myths and misunderstandings about caring for serious and life-limiting illnesses, a presentation by Cereta A. Lee, the Registrar of Wills for Prince George’s County, on the importance of putting healthcare decisions in writing in advance, a session discussing how spirituality plays a part in living with serious illness and an overview of the types of loss and how it affects our grieving.

The closing session, DocTalk With Faith-Based Leaders, is an open discussion with physicians and faith-based leaders on living with serious, life-limiting illnesses.

While enjoying a free lunch, attendees will have an opportunity to visit the Wellness Space in the Exhibitor Hall to learn more about and experience therapeutic sound and music, Comfort Touch, aroma therapy, and acupuncture demonstrations.

As there is no charge for any portion of this event, it is required that all attending register in advance as space is expected to quickly fill up. For details and to register, visit www.caringforlifemd.org.