By Marguerite Ham, National Leadership and Executive Coach www.margueriteham.com Right now, all over the world, there is a lot of fear. There is some perfectly justified fear about our health, our family members who may be more susceptible to the virus, finding necessities, paying bills, our economy, the list goes on. Some of the fear is driven by the TV, media, social network, etc. Some fears we tumble around inside of our own heads over and over again. Remember, fear can paralyze us mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually and create stress which lowers our immune system. So, what do we [...]

This month we were so proud to honor another Caregiver of the Month recipient, Almany Bonilla of Hospice of Westchester! She was nominated for her selfless and caring attitude and going the extra mile when helping families enduring stressful situations. We love being able to recognize these extraordinary members of our community and award them with a crystal award plaque, a beautiful floral boquet, and a $100 Amazon giftcard. To nominate a deserving caregiver in the area - a selfless hospice professional, physician, or nurse - please visit https://ballarddurand.com/caregivers/nominate/ to nominate them to win our monthly caregiver award.

As a parent, you have a natural instinct to protect your child from harm. Some wish to spare their children the pain and sorrow of a funeral. However, excluding your child from a ceremony or ritual could do more harm than good, denying them the opportunity to grieve and be with others who are mourning. In this article, we will explain how best help your child to understand the service and rituals following the loss of a loved one. 1. Answer questions before the ceremony. This will give your child the opportunity to ask any questions they might have [...]

Making it through Christmas What does Christmas mean to you? For many people, it’s a joyous time of year, a time to celebrate family and friends, and a time to be grateful for life’s blessings, remembering important days gone by and rejoicing in the present moment. For others, though, Christmas is a painful season, when the vacant spaces left by lost loved ones make them wish the holidays would pass quickly. How do you celebrate Christmas, when you don’t feel like celebrating anything? Don’t cancel Christmas. It may be tempting to hide away from the holiday, but you’d be [...]

Liz King shares her powerful experience with Ballard-Durand.

It is with great pleasure we announce our induction into the National Funeral Director Association’s (NFDA) Hall of Excellence, having received the NFDA’s Pursuit of Excellence Award for 10 consecutive years in recognition of a consistent display of professional and ethical excellence and providing outstanding service to families and the community. Ballard-Durand is now 1 out of 162 funeral homes in the U.S. and 49 other countries around the globe to earn a place in the Hall of Excellence.

This month we were happy to award the Caregiver of the Month to Kathleen Ghegan of Hospice of Westchester! We love being able to recognize these selfless members of our community. We were proud to present her with an award plaque, a floral bouquet, and a $100 visa giftcard in appreciation of the kindness and compassion she displays each and every day. To nominate a deserving caregiver in the area - a selfless hospice professional, physician, or nurse - please visit https://ballarddurand.com/caregivers/nominate/ to nominate them to win our monthly caregiver award.