Trellis Supportive Care in Winston-Salem, North Carolina is the oldest hospice in North Carolina and currently offers comprehensive care for patients facing life-limiting illness, their families, or anyone coping with a loss through hospice care, charitable care and patient assistance, palliative care, advanced care planning and caregiver confidence, and grief counseling.  

The CCME Foundation provided a $12,750 grant for the organization to create, develop, and execute an initial full day Caregiver Training Retreat with lessons on Advanced Care Planning, Practical Caregiver Skill Development, Self-Care and Stress Management, and Community Resources. Born from Trellis’s monthly Caregiver Confidence Program, the retreat was open to anyone within the community who would be able to benefit from the training. In addition to the retreat itself, funds went toward assisting attendees by coordinating or underwriting respite care for patients of the caregivers during the retreat, in particular, caregivers of dementia patients. Often, finding respite care during trainings and meetings is a barrier for caregivers, and the staff at Trellis believed this was one way to reduce that barrier for the retreat. 

The retreat was held April 4, 2025 at the Intergenerational Center for Arts and Wellness in Winston-Salem and included a day full of sessions and break out groups: a resource panel comprised of local agencies, an occupational therapist who provided hands-on training in patient care, such as turning patients or helping them get around in a safe way; wellness initiatives for caregivers, such as music, art, and writing therapies; and lessons on advanced care planning. Most importantly, caregivers were able to share their experiences with one another in a supportive, understanding, and validating environment, helping them to feel less isolated. The lessons from the retreat led to the beginning of a caregiver support group at Trellis in the fall.    

Learn more about the work of Trellis Supportive Care and its impact on patients and caregivers within Winston-Salem and the surrounding area.