The palliative care philosophy supports patients and their loved ones throughout their grief journeys. In this talk, the presenters discussed various grief and bereavement resources in our region

Presenters: Joan Williams and Carol Lee Thompson

Date: November 15, 2017

Assessments and Discharge Planning in Palliative Care from a Psychosocial Perspective

Many of our health care services/organizations have a client focused approach to care, however as we know, it takes a community of care to provide good palliative care. This presentation highlighted initial palliative care assessments related to the client’s goals as well as the emotional needs and goals of family members. There was a focus on identifying psychosocial emotional needs of family members related to palliative care planning.

Presenter: Deb Spear

Date: October 18, 2017

Palliative Care Lunch & Learn Fall Series: Palliative Management of ALS in the Community with Attention to Respiratory Compromise

This session discussed the palliative care issue of home bound patients with ALS including clarification of goals of care and symptom management from the perspective of a community based Nurse Practitioner.

Presenter: Donald Hutchinson

Date: October 4, 2017

Entertain, Educate, and Enthrall: Applied Theatre in Death Education

Have you considered the role creativity plays in what you do? In the areas of my work and research, creativity expressed through applied theatre often holds a key role in areas such as engagement of trust, fruitful communication, interdisciplinary strategizing, and emotional and physical wel-lbeing (care given and self-care)

Presenter: Kery-Lyn Durant

Date: June 21, 2017

Difficult Conversations: Decision Making, Compromised Autonomy and Advance Care Planning

This presentation reviewed some of the conversations that health care providers have as clients approach end-of-life and consider practitioners feelings about compromised autonomy. We will discuss the concept of how some family/loved ones and our clients will make decisions together. Also examined why some clients, choose to have treatments they would otherwise not have for the sake of their family/loved ones. Robin shared practical skills that will aid health care providers have these difficult conversations.

Presenter: Robin Cano

Date: May 24, 2017

Disenfranchised Grief: Finding hope and meaning in our work that involves death and loss

Healthcare providers may experience disenfranchised grief, which in turn impact their mental health and well-being. The new matter, then, is how to effectively support direct care staff in assisting them to manage and prevent disenfranchised grief symptoms.

Presented by: Jo-Ann Vis

Date: April 19, 2017

Health Care Consent Act and Advance Care Planning: How to begin the conversation

This presentation gave participants an overview of Advance Care Planning (ACP) in relation to Health Care Consent and demonstrate how to initiate conversations for different client scenarios. The presentation described some common misconceptions about ACP, and provided participants with a demonstration on navigating challenging conversations based on case scenarios.

Presented by: Jill Marcella & Robin Cano

Date: March 29, 2017

Managing Pain in Older Adults in the Community

Older adults in our community may suffer from acute and chronic pain issues. There is often a high prevalence of pain among people aged 65+ due to unrecognition. The consequences of untreated pain is depression, impaired cognitive function, impaired functional abilities, sleep disturbances, social isolation and increased health care costs.

Presented by: Robin Cano

Date: February 15, 2017

Differences Between the "D"s, Delirium and Dementia

Delirium is a severe disruption in a person's mental abilities that result in confusion and reduced perception of your environment. The start of delirium is usually swift and often occurs within hours or a few days. Delirium can frequently be traced to one or more contributing factors. Knowing how to differentiate between delirium and dementia is essential for health care providers as symptoms of delirium and dementia can often resemble each other.

Presented by: Marlene Benvenuto

Date: January 18, 2017

Medical Assistance in Dying

The Supreme Court of Canada, in February 2015, ruled in Carter v. Canada that parts of the Criminal Code needed to change to comply with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The parts that prohibited medical assistance in dying under certain conditions would no longer be valid. The Supreme Court gave the government until June 2016, to create a new law. The federal government introduced legislation that now allows eligible adults to request medical assistance in dying.

In this workshop, we will discuss Medical Assistance in Dying and how current legislation impacts practice for health care providers.

Presented by: Michelle Allain

Date: November 16, 2016

Understanding ALS

ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease) is a progressive neuromuscular disease in which nerve cells die and leave voluntary muscles paralyzed. Every day two or three Canadians die of the disease.

The focus of this presentation is to review the diagnosis process, identify symptoms and define forms of ALS. Explore what the client’s journey looks like. It will identify the struggles, the management of symptoms, the team approach to providing supports, and roles that they play, while recognizing the grief process, end-of- life and palliative care requirements.

Presented by: Kim Barry

Date September 21, 2016

What You Need to Know About Funerals: But Were Afraid to Ask

At the time of death, or in the event of an imminent death, healthcare workers, especially those involved with palliative care, are often the people whom families will first ask for guidance about "what happens after the time of death?" or "what do we do now?" Yet unfortunately, many professionals do not know any more about the subject than the average family.

This presentation is intended to provide you with enough basic information to provide families with practical assistance as to some of the decisions they will need to make, and some of their options in funeral arrangements. Thus removing some of the fear and apprehension for the family, and ultimately allowing them to make more informed decisions and experience "good grief."

Presented by: John-Bryan Gardiner

Date: June 16, 2016

The Role and Experiences of Hospice Northwest Volunteers

The goal of this presentation is to provide a brief description of Hospice Northwest and to offer an understanding of the services that it provides. We will identify how Hospice Northwest volunteer services work in the community, hospital and long-term care homes. This presentation will address the unique experiences and challenges Hospice Northwest volunteers and the rewards of working with clients.

Presented by: Joan Williams, Allison Skirtschak, Sue Raynak, Katherine Smith & Larry Dicks

Date: May 19, 2016

Advance Care Planning: Where to Begin and How to Continue the Conversation

The goals of this presentation is to promote an understanding of why advance care planning conversations are relevant to care planning, share practical skills in initiating conversations and to foster an understanding of how those conversations might change over the progression of diseases.

Presented by: Robin Cano & Jill Marcella

Date: April 14, 2016

Planning an Expected Death in the Home: Community Services and Supports, and the In-Home Chart

This presentation will explore what is available to people who wish to die at home and the supports to help them and their caregivers achieve this.

Presented by:Lynda Roussel

Date: March 17, 2016

Who should be driving the palliative care bus? Putting the community in the driver's seat!

Lakehead University Distinguished Research Presentation

Presented by: Dr. Mary Lou Kelley

Date: March 8, 2016

Palliative COPD and CHF Program (PCCP)

The PCCP is a demonstration project in partnership with NW CCAC, MOHLTC, TBRHSC and SJCG and provides patients with an earlier palliative approach to care in order to increase quality and quantity of life.