Too many people are dying alone¡­

The dying are one of society's most unrecognized and under-served groups. As individuals near the end of life they are often ignored, discounted, misunderstood and forgotten.

We are doing something about it¡­

The Twilight Brigade/Compassion in Action is a national 501c(3) nonprofit organization committed to raising society's consciousness about the needs of the dying through community and professional education, advocacy, and service to the terminally ill and their loved ones so that no one need die alone.

The Twilight Brigade is a non-profit national association of end-of-life care volunteers. It was founded in 1997 in Los Angeles, and today has over 6,000 members nationwide. The Twilight Brigade does not provide health care or direct hospice services, though it embraces the hospice approach to end-of-life care. The Association provides education, training, and volunteers to assist the terminally ill and those closest to them.

Weekend intensive workshops

The Twilight Brigade offers an intensive 20-hour workshop designed to teach people how to provide comfort and support to the dying and their family members. It is appropriate for lay volunteers, as well as medical and mental health professionals. Three vital areas of focus are:

- Learning what to do and how to be with the dying

- Addressing personal fears and unresolved issues that prevent people from serving

- Developing techniques for self-care and avoiding burnout in order to continue serving this very special population

The Connecticut Affiliate Chapter of The Twilight Brigade currently has initiatives underway to provide training and volunteers for hospice, convalescent homes, VA hospitals, and prisons. If you are interested in volunteering for this special and rewarding work please contact us:

Karin Nemri, Chapter Chairperson

Phone: 860-243-0869

or visit us at www.TwilightBrigadeCT.org

New England - New York Expansion

The Connecticut chapter is helping The Twilight Brigade expand into New York and New England. We are holding training events and helping to form new chapters in this area. If you are interested in holding a weekend intensive seminar or forming a chapter in your area please contact us.

For more information about The Twilight Brigade national organization visit www.TheTwilightBrigade.com

The author is a certified trainer for The Twilight Brigade. He is working with The Twilight Brigade to establish volunteer chapters in the Northeast, particularly in locations where there are VA hospitals.