Demystifying Palliative Care: Exploring a Wrap-Around Approach to Quality of Life

Thank you to Wellspring Niagara for the invitation to present “Demystifying Palliative Care: Exploring a Wrap-Around Approach to Quality of Life”.

It is important to acknowledge the barriers exist - to education, services, funding & resources.

Did you know that Palliative Care is:

• Appropriate for any person & or family living with, or at risk of developing, a complex illness due to any diagnosis, with any prognosis, regardless of age, & at any time they have unmet expectations & or needs, and are prepared to accept care

• May complement & enhance disease-modifying therapy, OR it may become the total focus of care

• Most effectively delivered by an interprofessional team who are both knowledgeable & skilled in all aspects of the caring process related to their discipline

• Treats all active issues & prevents new issues from occurring

• Addresses physical, psychological, social, spiritual and practical issues, & their associated expectations, needs, hopes & fears

• Prepares for & addresses self-determined life closure & the dying process;

• Assists in coping with loss & grief throughout the illness & into bereavement

Yet SO many barriers exist, including:

• Few Canadians (15%) have EARLY access to Palliative Care

• Palliative Care provided during admission to hospital was unplanned or through an emergency department 80% of the time

• 62% of Canadians who received Palliative Care did so in an acute care hospital in their LAST month of life

• Palliative Care is a patchwork of uncoordinated services

• Palliative & end-of-life care remain underfunded - receiving only ~1% of the overall investment in cancer research

• Mandatory education should be required for ALL healthcare providers due to the team-based nature of high-quality palliative care, including culturally safe palliative care, grief & bereavement supports

• Structurally vulnerable & marginalized communities including: Unhoused people, Indigenous communities, non-English speaking patients, young patients & 2SLGBTQ+ individuals & families face additional barriers to care resulting in inequitable access.

It is essential that we address barriers and stigma surrounding Palliative Care as this impacts access to care - for anyone facing a complex illness (curative or life-limiting).

World Hospice and Palliative Care Day is Saturday October 12th

Palliative Care is often misunderstood.

10 Myths About Palliative Care infographic dispels common misconceptions about palliative care.

This resource is available in English and 13 other languages, including:
-French

-Arabic

-Brazilian Portuguese

-Catalan

-Chinese

-Cree

-Hebrew

-Inuinnaqtun

-Japanese

-Portuguese

-Spanish

-Tagalog

-Kinyarwanda


Download and share the infographic in your preferred language via:
https://www.virtualhospice.ca/en_US/Main+Site+Navigation/Home/Support/Resources/Books_+Links_+and+More/

Source: Canadian Virtual Hospice

World Hospice and Palliative Care Day is Saturday October 12th.

“We believe that it takes a society to create better treatments, better care, and better support for people living in Canada. Part of making further advancements is offering recommendations to federal and provincial governments that can make supports for people with cancer more accessible, like palliative care.” Source: CCS

The Canadian Cancer Society’s (CCS) report analyzing palliative care across Canada will direct advocacy and support initiatives in the coming years. This report highlights 4 key findings about palliative care:

1. Canada still lacks the capacity to consistently deliver palliative care in communities, particularly in hospice.

2. There are significant social barriers to talking about death and dying, and confusion about the benefits of palliative care.

3. All provinces and territories noted that more could be done to improve cultural safety in palliative care, including grief and bereavement supports.

4. Access to palliative care would be enhanced with additional training of healthcare professionals in more healthcare settings.

To ensure that palliative care reaches those who require it, there needs to be a shift in the awareness and understanding of services for everyone, including providers, caregivers, and patients. There also needs to be an increased understanding of the landscape of palliative care services across Canada. The palliative care needs of a population cannot be met by palliative care specialists alone.

Source: 4 key findings about palliative care. CCS

To read more, visit: https://cancer.ca/en/about-us/stories/2024/4-key-findings-about-palliative-care 

World Hospice and Palliative Care Day is Saturday October 12th.

This is an annual unified day of action to celebrate and support hospice and palliative care around the world and the theme this year is: Ten Years Since the Resolution: How are we doing? The year 2024 marks 10 years since the World Health Assembly (WHO’s Governing Body) passed the only stand-alone resolution on palliative care, calling for all countries to “strengthen palliative care as a component of comprehensive care throughout the life course.” 

Palliative care is recognised as a fundamental component of health care systems, including Universal Health Coverage and primary health care. Yet, sadly, approximately 86% of people around the world who need palliative care cannot access it. Some 18 million people die every year with pain and suffering, due to lack of access. Much of the problem of lack of care is caused by a lack of awareness of how palliative care should be given, and why it is important. 

On this World Hospice and Palliative Care Day, we call upon governments, policymakers and providers to prioritise and implement national strategies for bereaved populations based on a public health approach. It is estimated that for each death, up to 9 people are directly affected by the loss. Given that about 120 million people died over the past two years (including over 6 million from COVID), Then over a billion people are experiencing bereavement by one or more deaths of people significant to them in the past two years.

If you would like any further information, please visit the World Hospice and Palliative Care Day website for more information about events at http://www.thewhpca.org/world-hospice-and-palliative-care-day. 

Source: The THE WORLDWIDE HOSPICE PALLIATIVE CARE ALLIANCE

FREE Death Café: Wednesday August 7th (6-8pm)

I am honoured to co-facilitate a FREE Death Café at the David Braley Health Sciences Centre, together with Dr. Alan Taniguchi, McMaster University on behalf of The 100% Certainty Project. Death: Something to Talk About and The Division of Palliative Care.

Registration is required for this FREE Death Café on Wednesday August 7th (6-8pm) via Eventbrite at: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/death-cafe-tickets-914115994547?aff=oddtdtcreator

Death Café is an international movement where people, often strangers, gather to eat, drink tea and discuss death. The objective is 'to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives’.

At Death Café, you can expect a group directed discussion of death with no agenda, objectives or themes. It is a discussion group.

Please note that Death Café is NOT a grief support group, nor is this a grief counselling session.

Death Café is a respectful, public event where people of all communities and belief systems are welcome to have respectful discussions about death.

Interesting conversation is guaranteed! For more information about Death Café, please visit https://deathcafe.com/

Image via YG2D For more information on YG2D visit https://www.yg2d.com/

Image via YG2D For more information on YG2D visit https://www.yg2d.com/

It is National Grief and Bereavement Day in Canada

The third Tuesday in November marks National Grief and Bereavement Day in Canada. Especially on this day, the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) encourages Canadians to engage all sectors of society in dialogues to raise #awareness, identify and #support access to a range of necessary resources for anyone facing loss, grief and bereavement.

Reach Out, Support the Grief Journey. When someone we know is faced with grief, we can often find ourselves at a loss for words. We may be unsure of how to support friends, family, or colleagues going through a difficult journey. But here’s the truth: You have the power to make sure they are not facing grief alone. Our actions can provide solace and connection when needed most.

National Grief and Bereavement Day calls upon all of us to reach out and move alongside those around us on a grief journey. It’s a day to take action, to be present for someone who needs support, even when words fail. For those who may feel uncomfortable with grief, who never quite know what to say, or are uncertain about what to do to help, there are things you can do, big or small, that can make a world of difference for someone in your life who is grieving.

Reaching out with simple gestures of kindness can make a profound #impact. Small but thoughtful actions can bridge the gap between isolation and healing. Even when it feels as though there’s nothing you can say, your actions speak volumes to people in your life navigating grief and loss. 

Together, let’s break the silence surrounding grief. Let’s move alongside those around us on a journey with grief. Join us on National Grief and Bereavement Day as we collectively learn to reach out, offering genuine support and compassion to those around us.

Source: CHPCA

The Need for Access to Timely Support and Education about Palliative Care

As we all encounter serious illnesses, uncertainty, grief, death and bereavement, there is a remarkable opportunity to create compassionate care for individuals and families of all ages, from time of diagnosis, into remission, at end of life and into bereavement.

It is so essential to demystify the incredible breadth and interprofessional scope of a Palliative approach to care in the education of all health science students and healthcare professionals.

It was a wonderful honour to speak with Death By Design Podcast - Kimberly C. Paul about the future of healthcare. As death is not elective, and illness and dying do not discriminate, we all encounter life-limiting illness, dying and grief. So... let's talk about it.

This episode is available via: http://www.deathbydesign.com/podcast/season-2-episode-10-c-elizabeth-dougherty/

Ontario Children's Grief Awareness Family Days. Free public events

Am honoured to be a new partner agency with the Children and Youth Grief Network (CYGN). The CYGN is a collaborative of agencies and organizations that work to support grieving families of all ages.

The CYGN recognizes that "the support received by a grieving child or youth can significantly influence his/her wellbeing. As a result we aim to connect individuals and organizations who provide services and resources that benefit children and youth who are grieving a death."

As the CYGN Mission is "to advocate for educational opportunities and support services that will benefit children and youth who are grieving the dying or the death of someone they care about", in support of National Bereavement Day, the CYGN is offering 2 free community events to support grieving families.

These events are intended for parents/caregivers and their children/teens (under 18 yrs of age) who have experienced the death of a parent/caregiver, child/sibling.

This event is offered for the whole family. Children will participate in facilitated creative activities with trained grief experts, while parents/caregivers will attend a panel presentation and discussions to explore coping strategies and grief support featuring grief professionals and other bereaved families. 

Come explore grief and bereavement coping strategies specifically for families with children and teens. Connect with peers and learn more about the resources available in your community while enjoying the support of caring professionals and other families who share the grief experience.

Snacks, local grief and bereavement resources and gift bag included. 

Reserve your FREE Ontario Children's Grief Awareness Family Day seats via Eventbrite.

2 Dates and 2 Locations!

November 4th @ Wellspring Birmingham Gilgan House (Oakville) https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ontario-childrens-grief-awareness-family-day-oakville-location-tickets-38670386166

November 25th @ Wellspring Chinguacousy (Brampton) https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ontario-childrens-grief-awareness-family-day-brampton-location-tickets-38670961888

A Wonderful evening at the Burlington Death Cafe!

Thank you to all in attendance this evening at the City of Burlington, Ontario Death Cafe in support of World Hospice Palliative Care Day, The Carpenter Hospice and the Compassionate City Charter. It was indeed an uplifting evening of inspiring conversations (& lots of laughter!). Great opportunity to demystify the incredible breadth and scope of Hospice Palliative Care!

Special thanks to the staff and volunteers of Carpenter Hospice who gave of their time this evening, and to our wonderful hosts at Emma's Back Porch & Water Street Cooker!

Next Burlington Death Cafe is in April in support of Advance Care Planning Day! #talkaboutdeath

Burlington Death Café. In Celebration of World Hospice Palliative Care Day

In Celebration of World Hospice Palliative Care Day, and in support of the Burlington Compassionate City Charter and the Carpenter Hospice, the Burlington Death Café will be held on October 11th, 2017 from 7-9pm at Emma's Back Porch.

Death Café is an international movement where people, often strangers, gather together to eat, drink and discuss death. The objective is 'to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives’.

At Death Café, you can expect a group directed discussion of death with no agenda, objectives or themes. It is a discussion group, rather than grief support or a counselling session. It is a respectful, public event where people of all communities and belief systems are welcome to have discussions about death.

Interesting conversation is guaranteed!

This is a free public event, but seating is limited. For information, or to register, please visit Eventbrite

For more information about Death Café, please visit http://deathcafe.com/

Cancer Mythbusters: Is Palliative Care Only for End-of-Life Patients?

"Palliative Care is an often misunderstood specialty, focused on providing support and pain management strategies to cancer patients throughout all stages of their illness. This approach, which can be blended into curative cancer therapy, focuses on care for the whole person: mind, body, and spirit."

Source: Cancer Mythbusters - Is Palliative Care Only for End-of-Life Patients?

Calling for a Palliative Care Culture

Palliative Care is the future of medicine "It has social and political dimensions that spring from its grounding in a commitment to relieve total pain, which includes spiritual pain."

Source: Calling for a Palliative Care Culture

What can Palliative Care Do?

"When you are facing a serious illness, you need relief from symptoms. You need to better understand your condition and choices for care. You need to improve your ability to tolerate medical treatments. And, you and your family need to be able to carry on with everyday life. This is what palliative care can do." #SeriousIllness #PalliativeCare  

For more information visit Get Palliative Care

Death Cafe. Increasing awareness of death with a view to making the most of our lives. #DeathCafe

Carpenter Hospice and The End Game are pleased to invite you to Burlington's Death Cafe!

Death Cafe is an international movement where people, often strangers, gather to eat cake, drink tea and discuss death. Our objective is 'to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives'. 

At Death Cafe, you can expect a group directed discussion of death with no agenda, objectives or themes. It is a discussion group rather than a grief support or counselling session. It is a respectful, open-air public event where people of all communities and belief systems are welcome to have discussions about death. 

Interesting conversation is guaranteed! 

Death Cafes are always offered: 
1. On a not for profit basis
2. In an accessible, respectful and confidential space
3. With no intention of leading people to any conclusion, product or course of action
4. With coffee, tea and cake! 

The Death Cafe model was developed by Jon Underwood and Sue Barsky Reid, based on the ideas of Bernard Crettaz. See more at: http://www.deathcafe.com

Please RSVP by July 20th as limited seating is available. For further information please contact: 

(905) 631 9994 ext.138

Carpenter Hospice: Bonnie Tompkins commhlthcoord@thecarpenterhospice.com

The End Game: Roxanne Torbiak roxanne@theendgame.ca