8:30-9:30 a.m

4-D. Can Technology Advance Compassion in Hospice Care?

The quality of hospice care depends heavily on caregivers' relational skills. Yet hospice caregivers often face emotional fatigue, communication challenges, and varying levels of preparedness. This session will explore how hospice staff training can leverage emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Virtual Reality (VR), to enhance caregiver empathy, strengthen communication and connection with patients and families, and improve the patient experience. Presenters will share a case study of one hospice agency's journey from technology exploration to implementation. You'll learn how to create a technology implementation roadmap, explore evidence-based strategies for using AI and VR, and consider ethical concerns and safeguards for deploying technology in sensitive care settings.

• Cheryl Lampkowski-Sowle, AVP Home Health and Hospice, Otterbein SeniorLife — Lebanon, OH, US
• Christin Lampkowski, Emerging Technologies Librarian, University of North Carolina at Charlotte — Charlotte, NC, US