On Wednesday, the 23rd April, as part of the Alumni Club of BELhospice educational centre, lectures were held on the topics of “Family dimensions in palliative care” and “Families in the increased level of risk- assessment and intervention”, given by dr Snezana Davidovic and social worker Mijodrag Bogicevic.

Every serious illness affects not only the life of patient, but also family members and other people close to the patient. There are numerous reasons why during palliative care, unit of care are patient and family.
This is why two pioneer lectures were held on this topic in our country, during which many areas of family dimensions in palliative care were only mentioned, and will be discussed more thoroughly in future lectures.

Dr Snezana Davidovic during her lecture made participants familiar with conceptual definitions of the term family, with its classifications and functions, with family systems, crisis situations for families, assessment, support, interventions and goals of patient and family care. Social worker Mijodrag Bogicevic, during his lecture, put special emphasis on recognition and assessment of families affected by many risk factors such as families with children, marginalized groups, etc. He also emphasized the importance of identifying risk factors for family members who are caregivers, assessment of risk of complicated bereavement and he briefly presented interventions for families with increased level of risk.

This was one of the most attended lectures since the beginning of the Alumni Club, with more than 30 participants, e.g. more than 20 nurses, 10 doctors and couple of medical assistants. Lectures and lecturers were evaluated with highest grades by participants in evaluation questioner.