FREE Death Café at the David Braley Health Sciences Centre, McMaster University

In celebration of Advance Care Planning Day 2024, 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.

Registration is required for this FREE Death Café on Wednesday March 27th (6-8pm) via Eventbrite

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, please visit Death Café

Día de Los Muertos: A Time to Grieve & Remember

Day of the Dead is a rare holiday for celebrating death and life. It is unlike any holiday where mourning is exchanged for celebration. Day of the Dead is a holiday to remember loved ones by sharing a meal with them as one would when they were alive.

Calaveras (Skulls) are ubiquitous during Day of the Dead. The skulls are often drawn with a smile as to laugh at death itself. They take many forms such as sugar candies, clay decorations, and most memorable: face painting. Sugar skulls are decorated and placed on ofrendas (altars) of loved ones. Marigolds are believed to be the pathways that guide the spirits to their ofrendas and they symbolize the beauty and fragility of life.

Dia de los Angelitos (Day of the little angels) starts the holiday at midnight on Nov 1st, where the spirits of all deceased children are believed to be reunited with their families for 24 hours. Families construct an altar, known as an ofrenda, with the departed child’s favorite snacks, candies, toys, and photographs to encourage a visit from their departed children. The names of the departed children will often be written on a sugar skull.

At midnight of the following day (November 2nd), the celebrations shift to honor the lives of the departed adults. The night is filled with laughter and fun memories, much like the night before. However, the Ofrendas take on a more adult-like theme with tequila, pan de muerto, mezcal, pulque and jars of Atole. Families will also play games together, reminisce about their loved ones, and dance while the village band plays in their town

The next day is the grand finale and public celebration of Dia de Muertos. In more recent times, people come together in their cities, dressed up with Calavera painted faces (Skeletons) and have parades in the streets. Cemetery visits are also common on the last day as families will go to decorate the grave sites with Marigold flowers, gifts, and sugar skulls with the departed’s name on them. It’s customary to clean the grave stone and restore the color.

Source: https://dayofthedead.holiday/

Today is World Hospice and Palliative Care Day (#WHPCDay23)

Today is World Hospice and Palliative Care Day (#WHPCDay23).

World Hospice and Palliative Care Day is an annual unified day of action to celebrate and support hospice and palliative care around the world.

WHPCD has been marked every year on Saturday October 14th to advocate for better hospice and palliative care services around the world. The WHPCD theme for 2023 is Compassionate Communities.

Together for Palliative Care Compassionate Communities care for people, assist people to live in the place they call home, connect people to services, and raise #awareness about end-of-life issues.

We believe that palliative care working alongside compassionate communities multiplies the ability to respond to the needs of the most #vulnerable in our communities.

For more information, please visit The Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance (WHPCA)

It is National Hospice Palliative Care Week in Canada

The first full week of May marks National Hospice Palliative Care Week in Canada. Palliative care is person-centered care. That means, in part, that wherever there is a person with a life-limiting illness, palliative care can be provided. If someone is facing significant health-related suffering because of a life-limiting illness, palliative care can help regardless of the setting of care, regardless of a person’s illness or prognosis, regardless of their postal code. Palliative care is an approach that aims to alleviate the suffering of people facing a life-limiting illness. It can be provided in any setting – from hospice, to long-term care, to hospital, to home.

While access to palliative care has improved over recent years, the latest data shows that only 58% of Canadians who died in 2021-2022 received palliative care, usually in a hospital. The “Palliative Care Everywhere” campaign highlights that there are no limits on where a palliative approach to care can be provided and reminds us that wherever people face life-limiting illnesses, end-of-life, and grief, there must also be a place for palliative care.

"This week, we celebrate the indispensable and compassionate care provided by health care workers, volunteers, unpaid caregivers and many others across Canada. The impact of palliative care on a person’s quality of life and on their family is profoundly meaningful, and every person with a life-limiting illness deserves to receive this level of care," said Laurel Gillespie, CEO of CHPCA. “Sadly, less than 60% of Canadians who died last year received care from the discipline that specializes, in part, in caring for the dying. It is time for everyone in Canada to come together to build a future where ‘Palliative Care Everywhere’ is true in every postal code.” Source: CHPCA

Loss in the Time of COVID: Exploring the Impact of Grief

Honoured to deliver Loss in the Time of COVID: Exploring the Impact of Grief as the Keynote address at Trillium Health Partners in support of National Hospice Palliative Care Week in Canada.

My sincere gratitude to everyone who joined our discussion via Zoom, for sharing time, reflections and energy - and for acknowledging the impact of trauma, loss and grief for healthcare providers as we continue to serve so many facing trauma, loss and grief during the pandemic.

Best Oral Paper Award at #HPCO2022!

Incredibly honoured as the Clinical Lead to receive the Best Oral Paper Award at #HPCO2022 Hospice Palliative Care Ontario Annual Provincial Conference with our incredible interprofessional team: Ann Vander Berg, Allyson Oliphant, and champion for our project - Dr. Andrea Folic for "Care Beyond Walls: Innovation, Implementation and Evaluation of a Medical Assistance in Dying-Specific Bereavement Support Group for Caregivers"

How Equity-Oriented is Palliative Care?

Join us for the free (online) Elizabeth J. Latimer Lecture in Palliative Care "How Equity-Oriented is Palliative Care" with the extraordinary Dr. Kelli Stajduhar.

Free M.A.i.D Bereavement Support Group (online)

This Virtual MAiD Bereavement Support Group is free and offered to anyone (+18yo) in Ontario following the death of a loved one via MAiD. While we wish we could offer this group in-person, the support will now be provided online in light of COVID-19 restrictions.

Am grateful to be part of the development team and one of the co-facilitators for this group. This group is being co-facilitated by myself and a spiritual care provider and is limited in that we can only offer unilingual support (English speaking). We also appreciate this means that someone must have access to a phone or WiFi and understand that not everyone has that luxury.

People can self-refer. The program will run for 4 weeks starting November 25th. We intentionally take a break over the holidays and reconvene to offer the remaining 4 weeks in January to continue to process and honour the range of loss experiences and explore compassionately moving forward.

The contact information for self-referral is on the attached poster. Spaces are limited. For more information, call (905) 521 2100 x73621 or email adras@hhsc.ca

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.

Loss in the time of COVID: Exploring the Impact of Grief in the Year of the Nurse

I am deeply grateful to Nurses everywhere - for all that you do for so many and am truly honoured to join the compassionate clinicians in the Palliative Care Nurses Interest Group for the Registered Nurses'​ Association of Ontario (RNAO) virtual AGM on June 11th 2020 to present “Loss in the time of COVID: Exploring the Impact of Grief in the Year of the Nurse”.

Support for Grieving Young Adults (ages 18-30)

Actively Moving Forward® (AMF) is a network created in response to the needs of grieving young adults (ages 18-30) and is connecting, supporting, empowering grieving young adults to “actively move forward” in memory of their person. 

Now, a FREE AMF app offers new ways to connect!

“You’ll have full access to facilitated virtual support groups, tools, resources, reading, videos, supportive quotes, community engagement via direct messaging, group chats, posts and interactive comment boards. Group members may be tagged by person in their life that died so that members grieving a similar death loss can easily find each other.” 

Time to connect on a whole new level. Deepen friendships, engage with groups, simplified chats, find events, webinars and a host of other valuable and helpful resources.

To register for this app and access FREE bereavement support, visit Actively Moving Forward® 

Source: Actively Moving Forward - AMF, a HealGrief program

Trusting that even the longest, hardest endings lead to brand new mornings.

Sharing the beautiful words and artwork from Morgan Harper Nichols.

"You will grow how you were meant to. One morning you will wake up and realize that even though so many things aren’t the same anymore, there is still more in store. Because knowing 'there is more in store' doesn’t mean believing that everything will be easy, it means trusting that even the longest, hardest endings lead to brand new mornings.

In this life you will have moments that leave you speechless. You will look to the one you love and wonder, how on earth did you get to live this life. You will also have nights that leave you restless where you are left to ask, what will it look like to survive. And you will also have a billion moments in between. You will weave in and out of beginnings and endings and somehow, through it all, you will end up growing in the way you were meant to. You will be tender and you will be strong and you will be glad you lived to see beautiful things flourish, even though they took so long. You will heal along the journey. You will find: you were always learning. Strength was rising up within you. You bloomed how you were meant to. MHN"

Experiences of Grief and Loss: Exploring Support & Resources

Excited to be presenting "Experiences of Grief and Loss: Exploring Support & Resources" for A Better Mind at the Oakville Mental Heath Symposium. For more information, or to register, please contact http://abettermind.ca/

Honoured to be a Clinical Lead at Camp Erin Toronto - a FREE bereavement camp for kids and teens

Am honoured to be a Clinical Lead for Camp Erin Toronto, an incredible FREE weekend bereavement camp for children and youth aged 6-17.   

Camp Erin Toronto is provided FREE to families and is open to any child who has experienced the death of an immediate family member or custodial caregiver, regardless of cause or length of time since the death.  Activities focus on providing campers with the tools needed to help them in their grief and with difficult experiences throughout their lives, while enhancing overall wellness, play and vitality. 

Camp Erin gives children and youth the opportunity to meet with other grieving kids in a fun and natural environment; understanding that they are not the only ones to experience the death of someone close to them decreases the sense of isolation that many grieving children experience.  Source: https://drjaychildrensgriefcentre.ca/programs/camp-erin/

As a registered charity that DOES NOT RECEIVE GOVERNMENT FUNDING, Camp Erin Toronto depends on the generosity of donors. For information, to refer or to donate, please visit: https://drjaychildrensgriefcentre.ca/programs/camp-erin/

For information on other Camp Erin locations in Canada and the U.S. visit: https://elunanetwork.org/camps-programs/camp-erin/

Talking About Death Won't Kill You: The 100% Certainty Project

"Most of us are ill-prepared to face what lies ahead. In a death-denying society, how do we ready ourselves for our human fate? How do we prepare for the end of our lives?

To this end, The 100% Certainty Project uses books to spark dialogue amongst citizens with the hope that grassroots efforts begin to build the social fabric we all will need at end-of-life. The project attempts to de-medicalize the experience of death & dying and engage community agencies and activists. We encourage the public to read and talk about books – books with themes of death, dying, bereavement, and loss. By facilitating conversation at dining room tables, in coffee shops and on street corners across Greater Hamilton and beyond, this reading initiative aims to increase public awareness about death & dying and lessen society’s discomfort facing death." Source: The 100% Certainty Project

Please join us for the first in a series of FREE public events. As part of the Division of Palliative Care at McMaster University with McMaster Faculty of Health Sciences, and our "The 100% Certainty Project. Death: Something to Talk About" initiative, together with Heart House Hospice, am honoured to co-host and moderate this event at the Mississauga Library with my brilliant friend and colleague Dr. Kathy Kortes-Miller. While the event is free, registration is required via the Mississauga Public Library at (905) 615 4835.

In support of National Hospice Palliative Care Week, we'll hear about her experiences as a parent and spouse facing a cancer diagnosis, as a Social Worker in Palliative Care and as an academic researcher and educator. At this event, Kathy will share her insight and explore some of the big questions about living and dying. We'll also open up the conversation to the audience - questions are welcome. Please email questions in advance to our "100% Certainty" email address: talkaboutdeath100@gmail.com or, join us and ask Dr. Kortes-Miller directly. Her book "Talking About Death Won't Kill You. The Essential Guide to End-of-Life Conversations" will also be on sale at each event.

Please join us for this FREE public event. As part of the Division of Palliative Care with McMaster Faculty of Health Sciences, and our "The 100% Certainty Project. Death: Something to Talk About", am honoured to co-host and moderate this event at the Hamilton Public Library with my brilliant friend and colleague Dr. Kathy Kortes-Miller. While the event is free, registration is required via Eventbrite

Please join us for this final evening in our series of FREE public events. As part of the Division of Palliative Care at McMaster Faculty of Health Sciences, and our "The 100% Certainty Project. Death: Something to Talk About", together with Carpenter Hospice, am honoured to co-host and moderate this event at the Burlington Public Library with my brilliant friend and colleague Dr. Kathy Kortes-Miller. While the event is free, registration is required via the Burlington Public Library at (905) 639 3611.

April 2nd is National Carers Day

About National Carers Day

In April 2010, the Parliament of Canada unanimously adopted a motion declaring the first Tuesday in April “The Invisible Work Day.” This day was designated to recognize the importance of the “invisible” unpaid work carried out by parents and caregivers on behalf of their children and aging family members, as well as the volunteer work done in the community.  Recognizing that caregivers come from all walks of life and take on many roles, the first Tuesday in April is a special day where we can recognize all caring Canadians.

#NationalCarersDay

Source: https://www.carerscanada.ca/national-carers-day/

Free Breast Cancer Support Group

Am pleased to be facilitating this FREE support group at Wellspring Chinguacousy for women following a diagnosis of breast cancer.

The Breast Cancer Support Group provides a community for women who have been newly diagnosed with breast cancer, or are currently in treatment. This group can reduce isolation and provide an opportunity for peer support, to meet with others to explore the many emotional, social and practical challenges of coping with breast cancer

While this is a FREE group, registration is required, with a commitment to attend each week, for a period of six weeks. The next group is offered on the following dates:

Mon Mar 11, 2019: 12:00pm - 1:30pm
Mon Mar 18, 2019: 12:00pm - 1:30pm
Mon Mar 25, 2019: 12:00pm - 1:30pm
Mon Apr 1, 2019: 12:00pm - 1:30pm
Mon Apr 8, 2019: 12:00pm - 1:30pm
Mon Apr 15, 2019: 12:00pm - 1:30pm

For information, or to register, please visit Wellspring Chinguacousy

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/

Almost all Canadians would benefit from palliative care. Only one in seven can actually access it at end-of-life

“The key to providing decent palliative care is a little bit of basic planning. Four conditions – cancer, cardiovascular disease, COPD (lung disease) and diabetes – account for 70 per cent of deaths.

Those chronic conditions all have fairly predictable courses of illness in the terminal phase. You don’t get diagnosed with lung cancer or heart failure one day and die the next. It’s a months-long process and providing pain relief (palliation) should be standard, and a priority.

Two in three people receive home care in their last year of life. But only one in seven receive palliative care in the home.

That’s the failure point – and that’s what we need to fix.

There needs to be a commitment – philosophical and financial – to bringing palliative care to patients when they need it and where they want it.

Not everyone can (or should) be cared for at home in their final days. It’s back-breaking, emotionally-draining work for loved ones. Yet many would do so willingly and lovingly.

But they run up against a gross number of barriers, ranging from difficultly getting home visits from physicians (who are poorly remunerated for that work in many provinces), lack of nursing support (because of caps on home care hours), and absurd rules that mean drugs taken at home are not covered by medicare.

All the problems raised by the CIHI report are easily resolved. For example, having paramedics provide palliative care can eliminate transfers to hospitals. Sending doctors and nurses to homes or nursing homes can free up hospital beds – and save money in the process. Not to mention that, at the very least, people deserve a modicum of dignity in their dying days.

The whole point of palliative care is to improve quality of life. We shouldn’t let bureaucratic and structural inadequacies undermine that necessary and noble work.“ by the brilliant André Picard via The Globe and Mail