November is National Hospice Month.

Mayor James Perkins Jr. made it official Tuesday by signing his name to a proclamation declaring November National Hospice Month for Selma.

He added that the proclamation emphasized the importance of hospices and of assisting people through the process of dying.

According to Irwin, hospices have existed in the Selma area for about 12 years. She’s been involved for the past 10 years. Hospice employees care for the terminally ill. They use a holistic approach by tending to patients’ physical, social and spiritual needs.

Irwin will present three seminars about hospices at Vaughan Regional Medical Center during November. The first seminar is at 10 a.m. Nov. 10. Irwin will talk about understanding hospice care. The second seminar at 6 p.m. Nov. 19 will focus on who is able to benefit from hospice care. Irwin pointed out that cancer patients aren’t the only patients benefiting from hospices. The third seminar at 10 a.m. Nov. 24 will concern pain management issues.