On Monday, Dr David Kenneth Wright spoke during the “FREE WEBINAR SERIES for PSWs about providing care during COVID. I was touched by the stories he shared, by the points that he made, and by the responses/input from those who attended. Near the end of his presentation he said and asked, “COVID-19 has changed so […]
Free education for PSWs, but at what cost?
The Ontario government plans to train 6000 to 8,000 new PSWs by December 2021, offering free tuition, textbooks and a paid practicum. Given the devastating effects of COVID in Ontario LTC facilities it is so important to increase the numbers of PSWs in each home. But will increasing the pool of available PSWs actually translate into improved […]
Common Emotions Associated with Loss
Elizabeth Causton, MSW, discusses common emotions that people express when experiencing losses associated with dying and a loved one’s death. Using stories and anecdotes she describes the emotions, helping caregivers to better understand and provide wholistic hospice and palliative care for the dying person and family. This podcast will help develop your ability to be […]
PSWs* identify their top five concerns
In July 2021 we invited PSWs (HCAs/CCAs) to identify their top five concerns. Their response: Preventing compassion fatigue and burnout. Dealing with grief associated with COVID, restrictions, etc.. Finding education in palliative and end-of-life care education and training. Building the skills to be heard and acknowledged as vital members of the team. Working short staffed. […]
A personal reflection on grief during the pandemic
Submitted by Kassey M. June 2021, reflecting on her grief while working in Long Term Care during COVID Grief is an understandable reaction to loss. It’s the emotional pain you experience when something or someone you care about is taken away from you. It can be excruciatingly painful at times. From shock or fury to disbelief, remorse, […]
Palliative Care – a Human Right – so apparent during COVID
Deaths from COVID-19 are approaching 3 million world-wide. Much of the discussion about ethical issues has centered around the availability of ventilators, but little has been said about the need and the responsibility to provide palliative care, ways to integrate a palliative approach for those who are seriously ill, and how to best support those […]
Grief during COVID
In an article titled, “There is no vaccine for grief” Maxine Rattner and Marney Thompson write, “While grief itself isn’t a mental-health condition, unsupported grief can turn into one, such as depression and suicidal thinking. And due to the circumstances of COVID, the risk is far higher that grief won’t be supported.” Andrea Warnick, an educator, […]
How do you infuse love in your organization?
Several years ago I was inspired as I read writings from Stephen Post and Thomas Kitwood defining love in dementia care. “Love within the context of dementia care includes comfort in the original sense of tenderness, closeness, the calming of anxiety and bonding.” (Kitwood, 2003) “Altruistic love involves both a judgement of worth, and a […]
And a time to cry….
I wrote this reflection on Jan 31 ,2020, a year and a week after our son Geordie died, At this one year mark, I #GIVETHANKS for family, friends and colleagues who supported and encouraged us, buoyed us up, laughed and cried with us, mourned with us, and comforted us. They are all excellent examples […]
Sharing gifts
Hello and welcome to December! In the past months, summer and camping came to an end and the 2nd wave of the COVID-19 pandemic flourished. We are being asked to commit once more to physically distancing ourselves from those outside of our households. This is a difficult time that we all share. Globally people are [...]
Addressing barriers to providing optimal end-of-life care
Physicians providing care in the community and long term care (LTC) facilities in Alberta, Canada, were interviewed to determine what they perceived as barriers and facilitators to providing optimal end-of-life care.1 Among their concerns, they reported motivational barriers related to families, citing the family’s lack of knowledge about frailty, unrealistic care expectations and expressions of […]