National Hospice Palliative Care Week is an opportunity to highlight quality Palliative Care across the country. This week also serves as an opportunity to call for better education and access to Palliative Care for ALL across Canada.
Palliative care is active, collaborative, compassionate and integrated person and family-centred care, for anyone, of any age, facing ANY stage of complex illness.
“Canadians should have access to affordable, culturally safe, high-quality palliative care regardless of where they live and in what setting they choose to receive care. Promoting and supporting the need for improved development and delivery of early, active, competent and compassionate palliative care is essential. This includes expert pain management; skilled psychosocial, emotional and spiritual support; and comfortable living conditions with the appropriate level of care – whether at home, in a hospital, at hospice residences or in any other settings of choice.” Source CCS
To access 10 Myths about Palliative Care, visit Canadian Virtual Hospice
For more information about Palliative Care in Canada, please visit:
The Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association
Canadian Virtual Hospice
The Canadian Cancer Society
Palliative Care In-Depth Online Workshop
As faculty at McMaster University and a certified LEAP™ facilitator, I am again honoured to join my colleagues from the Division of Palliative Care at McMaster University to facilitate the Palliative Care In-Depth Online Workshop combining the curriculum of Pallium Canada’s LEAP™ In-Depth with McMaster University 3 Days in Palliative Care.
This is a unique opportunity for healthcare professionals to continue learning about the palliative care approach and focus on different disease conditions and topics. The session schedule is designed to allow for national participation and clinical commitments.
This workshop has been developed for online delivery in partnership between Pallium and the Department of Family Medicine at McMaster University. Sessions are facilitated by McMaster University faculty who are LEAP™ certified facilitators and experienced palliative care clinicians and educators.
TOPICS COVERED INCLUDE:
• Recap of the palliative care approach
• Unique situations
• Transitions in long-term care
• Heart diseases and advanced liver
• In-depth communication
• Renal and neurological diseases
Please contact support@pallium.ca with any questions about the course, or to register.
Want to learn more about Pallium Canada or LEAP™? Visit pallium.ca
Undergraduate Medical Education: From White Coat to Blue Gown
I was incredibly honoured to once again facilitate this annual lecture in memory of Dr. Barbara Tatham at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University.
Barbara was a medical student at McMaster University and went on to become an innovative Family and Emergency Room Physician and collaborative Medical Educator. After enduring a courageous battle with cancer, at the age of 32, Barbara died on October 16, 2019, a few short weeks after delivering her final extraordinary undergraduate medical education lecture, Barbara left us with her last lecture, a precious legacy, recorded at McMaster, selflessly demonstrating her indomitable spirit and compassion.
We have been fortunate to maintain contact with Barbara’s family since 2019. Their hope is that medical students while remembering Barbara’s empathy, will consider their own humanity as they go on to care for patients, families and themselves.
FREE National Community-Based Primary Palliative Care Community of Practice (CoP)
I am honoured to be co-presenting “Practical Tips: Lessons from the Front Line”, the final session in the National Community-Based Primary Palliative Care Community of Practice (CoP) series. This Continuing Professional Development is FREE for all health care professionals is part of The Palliative Care ECHO Project led by Pallium Canada.
This community of practice focuses on supporting primary care clinicians to integrate primary palliative care in their practices. It is geared towards interprofessional primary health care providers across Canada. Each session is accredited by the College of Family Physicians of Canada.
This is the final session in the second series, which includes 11 sessions taking place on a bi-weekly basis. All webinars are recorded and available for playback. Topics include:
Pain: Beyond the Basics: November 9, 2022
Communication: Part 1: November 23, 2022
Communication: Part 2: December 7, 2022
Palliative Care and Substance Use Disorders: January 18, 2023
GI Symptoms in Palliative Care: February 1, 2023
Delirium: February 15, 2023
Spiritual Care and Rituals Around Death and Dying: March 1, 2023
Palliative Sedation: March 15, 2023
Grief and Bereavement: Beyond the Basics: April 12, 2023
Practical Tips: Lessons from the Front Line: April 26, 2023 from 1–2:00 p.m. ET
Interested in becoming a part of this FREE COP? Visit The Palliative Care ECHO Project
C. Elizabeth Dougherty Consulting Newsletter: Fall 2022
I am pleased to share my Fall 2022 Newsletter highlighting educational opportunities and my clinical work serving individuals, families, and healthcare providers facing complex illnesses, uncertainty and grief.
Medical Education: Honouring life, love, loss and legacy at McMaster University
Incredibly honoured to facilitate the Annual Dr. Barbara Tatham Memorial Lecture & thank her sisters Erica, Deanna & Laura for joining us to demystify grief, honour loss & explore healing while caring for others and ourselves. Honouring Dr. Tatham's life, legacy and brilliant contributions to Medical Education at McMaster University.
Honouring person and family-centred care is ESSENTIAL from time of diagnosis, throughout treatment, into remission, at end-of-life, and into bereavement.
A cancer diagnosis is traumatizing. Finding community, support and connection is essential in the face of trauma. Stories of others moving through trauma are always important in post-traumatic growth (Tedeschi & Calhoun). Strength is often correlated, almost paradoxically, following an increased sense of being vulnerable - of being human.
Today, please take a moment to connect with your breath, honour your strengths and make space for who and what matters most in your life. ❤️
Today is the Annual #TerryFoxRun. To support Dr. Tatham's life, legacy and indomitable spirit in the face of cancer, please donate to #TeamBarb https://run.terryfox.ca/team/teambarb
C. Elizabeth Dougherty Consulting - Fall 2021 Newsletter
I am honoured to share my Fall 2021 newsletter including resources for individuals and families of all ages facing a complex illness, following diagnosis through to bereavement. I am also grateful to also share my teaching experiences including: undergraduate and graduate Social Work Education; undergraduate Medical Education; and Interprofessional Education for healthcare providers exploring informed conversations, honouring person and family-centred care, demystifying grief, and advocating for palliative care.
Myths about Palliative Care
It is so important to demystify the incredible scope and breadth of Palliative and end of life Care. For National Hospice Palliative Care Week in Canada (May 2nd- 8th), I am re-posting a great resource from CVH - an incredible source of evidence-informed Hospice Palliative Care resources for individuals, families, healthcare providers or volunteers serving anyone facing life-limiting illness, grief and bereavement.
An infographic about 10 myths that are often encountered in Palliative Care (also available in French, Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese, Catalan, Chinese, Cree, Hebrew, Inuinnaqtun, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish and Tagalog).
Source: Canadian Virtual Hospice
The 17th Annual Innovations in Palliative Care Virtual Conference
Join us for the (online) 17th Annual Innovations in Palliative Care Virtual Conference, a collaboration between the Division of Palliative Care, Department of Family Medicine at McMaster University and Pallium Canada
Excited to be on Faculty for Learning Essential Approaches to Palliative Care (LEAP) McMaster
Excited to be on Faculty for this exciting collaboration. Join us for this Learning Essential Approaches to Palliative Care (#LEAP) #CPD!
Pallium Canada and the Division of Palliative Care, Department of Family Medicine at McMaster University have partnered to create a unique #online #learning opportunity for #healthcare professionals.
This is a unique #opportunity to continue learning about the #palliative care approach. The #workshop addresses contemporary topics of relevance to care providers across many care settings including #hospital, #community and #residential care, as well as special challenges encountered during transitions in care.
These #workshops are ideal for any health care professional (e.g. #Physician, #Nurse, #SocialWorker, #Pharmacist, etc.) who would like continued learning on the #PalliativeCare approach.
Session topics include:
- Recap of the Palliative Care Approach
- Unique Situations
- Transitions in Long-Term Care
- In-Depth Conversations
- Advanced Liver and Heart Diseases
- Kidney and Neurological Diseases
In recognition of the hard work of health care professionals throughout the #COVID19 pandemic, the price for these sessions has been reduced.
Visit: https://pallium.myshopify.com/collections/palliative-care-in-depth-workshop
C. Elizabeth Dougherty Consulting 2020 Newsletter
The Saturation of Grief in the time of COVID, Honouring Loss and Exploring Healing
Honoured to present "The Saturation of Grief in the time of COVID, Honouring Loss and Exploring Healing" for Ethics and Diversity Grand Rounds organized by Ethics & Care Ecologies Program at Hamilton Health Sciences with Dr. Andrea Frolic.
Exploring universal yet unique experiences of loss and grief in healthcare, alongside the stigma, and creating brave spaces for healing is essential - for ALL involved - especially now.
COVID-19 Response – Free, Online Palliative Care Modules from Pallium Canada
Enhance your knowledge, skills, and practice in providing high-quality palliative care with these free, self-directed modules.
Pallium, in collaboration with the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), is providing access to essential education on palliative care for all health care professionals in response to this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. In these difficult times, it is more important than ever that all health care providers are equipped with the essential skills to provide compassionate, palliative care to patients in need.
Available modules
These modules are self-directed and completed at your own pace:
Taking Ownership
Advance Care Planning
Decision-Making
Managing Dyspnea
Palliative Sedation
Last Days and Hours
Additional Information
Pallium and CMA are making these 6 Learning Essential Approaches to Palliative Care (LEAP) modules available online for free to all health care professionals for 3 months (March 30 – June 30, 2020). These modules will help provide health care teams with an introduction to the palliative care approach focused on the important knowledge and skills required during the COVID-19 pandemic response. The modules are currently only available in English.
The Pallium Palliative Pocketbook can be found here. This best-selling book is a practical, one-stop resource with easily accessible information to help non-specialist physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and social workers provide a palliative care approach when needed.
Additional learning opportunities to help you expand your knowledge in palliative care can be found on Our Courses page, including our newly available LEAP Online course.
Have any questions? Email anytime at: info@pallium.ca
Source: Pallium Canada
Learning Essential Approaches to Palliative Care (RENAL)
So wonderful facilitating Learning Essential Approaches to Palliative Care (LEAP) - RENAL for the Nephrology Fellows at McMaster Faculty of Health Sciences with my incredible colleagues from the Division of Palliative Care at McMaster University.
Pallium Canada offers award-winning Learning Essential Approaches to Palliative Care (LEAP) courses providing practical, inter-professional and evidence-based training and tools in the palliative care approach across multiple health care settings and specialty areas. Source: Pallium Canada
For information on LEAP courses, visit: https://www.pallium.ca/courses/
Exploring the Language of Loss: Caring, Supporting and Empowering
Honoured to offer "Exploring the Language of Loss: Caring, Supporting and Empowering" as the Opening Keynote for the PalCare Network 2018 Fall Symposium.
This workshop will explore the language of loss while also examining tools and resources to support individuals, families, and ourselves.
Objectives:
1. Examine the impact of loss in person and family-centred care
2. Encourage the caregiver to engage in the dialogue of loss
3. Explore self-care as an essential element of professional practice
For more information about the PalCare 2018 Fall Symposium, or to register, please visit: http://www.palcarenetwork.org/
From Diagnosis to Bereavement: Engaging the Public Across the Continuum
Excited to present "From Diagnosis to Bereavement: Engaging the Public Across the Continuum" at the 2018 Partners in Care: Central West Palliative Care Network Annual Conference.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
1. Consider systems challenges impacting care of people facing dying and loss;
2. Examine psychosocial implications for individuals, families and healthcare providers facing illness, grief and bereavement;
3. Explore compassionate community events as essential opportunities to engage the public following a life-limiting diagnosis through to bereavement.
For more information, or to register, please visit: http://cwpcn.ca/en/annual-conference/
Professional Competencies with the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University
Thrilled to be teaching Professional Competencies with the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University.
"In Pre-Clinical studies, Professional Competencies (Pro Comp) runs in parallel to the Medical Foundations. Groups of 8-10 students work with a pair of facilitators, one MD and one a clinician from a different discipline. The groups stay together for the entirety of Pre-Clinical, meeting every Tuesday morning for 3 hours. They explore material covering seven domains: effective communication, medical decision-making, moral reasoning and ethical judgement, population health, professionalism and self-awareness and self-care, interprofessional practice and social, cultural and humanistic dimensions of health." via https://mdprogram.mcmaster.ca/mcmaster-md-program/what-is-compass2/pre-clinical/pro-comp
Extremis Documentary and Discussion
Excited to co-host our next free public event with the Department of Family Medicine, Division of Palliative Care at McMaster University. This evening is part of our compassionate community initiative, “The 100% Certainty Project. Death: Something to Talk About". We will: feature the book “Extreme Measures" by Dr. Jessica Nutik Zitter; view the remarkable Oscar-nominated documentary “Extremis” from Shoshana Ungerleider, MD; provide Advance Care Planning resources from the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association; and close the evening with a panel discussion comprised of clinicians and educators. This free public event in support of National Advance Care Planning Day. To register, please visit: Eventbrite
Talking About #Death Won’t Kill You. @Kathykm @TEDTalks #Death #Education #hpm
"An unconventional death educator with an equal parts wry and wise delivery style, Dr. Kathy Kortes-Miller is committed to showing her audience that talking about death and dying won’t kill you. Using stories and research, Kathy extends an invitation to view death as not a taboo subject - but rather a shared life experience. Audience members walk away with shifted perspectives and a deep understanding that talking about death, without knowing or needing all the “answers”, actually brings us closer to our loved ones than we ever imagined possible."
Palliative Care Sooner for Patients But Also for Medical Professionals.
"Changing culture is a process. Awareness and understanding of palliative care is often limited, yet the benefits are discernible from better quality of life to care more consistent with patient preferences, to more recent data indicating improved survival. My experience with palliative medicine as a first-year medical student has made me realize how vital palliative care education could be for all medical students".