Strengthening a Palliative Approach in Long-Term Care: Recent Episodes
SPA-LTC (Strengthening a Palliative Approach in Long Term Care
Individuals in long-term care (LTC) who are reaching end-of-life have unique physical, emotional, social, psychological, and spiritual needs. A palliative approach to care ensures these needs are being met in a compassionate way that enhances the quality of life, limits suffering and provides needed comfort.
Riverview Health Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba is a vibrant, innovative, and inclusive community providing long-term care, palliative care, and neurological rehabilitation services through inpatient, outpatient, and outreach programs.
We had a conversation with Kathleen Klassen, the Chief Executive Officer at Riverview. In this role, Kathleen is leading an organizational culture transformation towards person-directed living, a relationship-based, individualized approach where each person's lifestyle needs and preferences are honoured and respected.
Learn more about Riverview: https://rhc.mb.ca/
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
The Golden Villages is a proposed rural, land-based dementia care community located in Mount Pleasant, Ontario. Rooted in agriculture, environmental stewardship, and dignity-centred care, the project is exploring a new model of aging that reconnects people living with dementia to nature, meaningful daily activity, and community.
We spoke with Larissa Stadnichuk, a farmer, stuntwoman, stunt coordinator, and founder of The Golden Villages. After watching someone she loved live with dementia, and knowing her own family would always choose a garden over a hallway and fresh air over fluorescent lights, she set out to imagine a different future for aging—one where care doesn’t separate people from community, but reconnects them to it through the land.
Learn more about The Golden Villages project: https://thegoldenvillages.com/
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
"When we did work talking to patients and care partners and providers, a lot of patients and care partners weren't aware of frailty as an idea or concept. But once it was explained to them, they felt much better and understood what was happening.
We all seek understanding and explanation in some way, and I think that can really help people really understand what's happening to their loved one, but also understand what's happening to themselves."
Doctor Zahra Goodarzi is an academic geriatrician and an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine and Department of Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary, where she is also the Division Head for geriatric medicine, the medical lead for specialized geriatric services and transition services, and the Program Director for Leaders in Medicine, Dr. Goodarzi's current work looks at the development of clinical pathways for mood disorders, dementia, and frailty across the care continuum in clinical care, emergency, and long-term care.
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
"When we are talking about culturally safe care, it's really having that background, that trauma-informed care approach. And that's for any person, it's not Indigenous-specific. To make it Indigenous-specific is to understand that Indigenous people in Canada have had a very different history. Every single Indigenous person that you have met or spoken to in Canada has been affected by the residential school system, as the last one closed in 1996.
It's a reflective practice .... looking at our physical care, mental, emotional, and spiritual care, and every single person as an individual. And that's an Indigenous way of thinking and doing. And I think that would benefit anybody going through the system." - Gloria Ranger
Valerie Jensen is a regional palliative care clinical coach with the Northwest Regional Palliation Care Program at St. Joseph's Care Group in Thunder Bay and is a registered nurse working as a palliative care clinical co-lead with Ontario Health Northwest.
Barbara Persky is a primary care nurse practitioner and a palliative care clinical coach for Kenora's Chief Advisory and Indigenous primary care program in rural areas around Kenora.
Gloria Ranger is the manager of Indigenous Cultural Safety and Education at St. Joseph's Care Group in Thunder Bay.
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
"There's a lot of love and respect for our elders, but for ourselves too, as individuals. Generosity and humbleness and the teaching from our elders. I really like to look at them as our teachers in the way we care for people and how we treat people. It's a part of my drive to make sure that our elders are cared for in the best way."
Renate Goodstriker is a proud Blackfoot First Nations woman and a registered nurse who manages a licensed long-term care home for the Blood Tribe Department of Health in Kainai, Alberta. She feels honoured to care for her community and roots her work in compassion, respect, culture, and a deep love for the people she serves every day.
Learn more: https://btdh.ca/program/long-term-care/
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
"One Green Care home that I just loved was kind of messy and untidy. You had the feeling that life was happening all around you, and it was busy enough that not everybody could tidy up entirely ... a little bit of what we did yesterday, reminding us today of what we did yesterday, which actually with dementia is a very good idea.
And the woman who had initiated it identified that the culture had three elements to it: One was 'do with, not for'. Two was 'joy and purpose every day'. And the third one was 'live till you die.'
Five years after her husband's death, Fay Martin visited Green Care Farms in the Netherlands, a non-medical residential setting for people in fifth stage of dementia.
The visit ignited a recognition and an articulation of the principles that governed how she had cared for her husband as he slid into dementia.
It also helped to explain why his dementia 'wasn't that bad', why it lacked many of the behaviours that we believe to be inherent in the disease. She now wears more confidently the role of author of her soon-to-be-launched book, Dementia Widow, a memoir about love, death and survival.
Learn more about Fay and her work: https://www.faymartin.ca/
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
"Stories in Motion are a way to give the unspoken a voice. Because so often with the people I'm working with, they've not had that voice...but if we can put it into a story, if we can put it into a world where anything can happen and people can say anything, then those unspoken thoughts, feelings get transposed and transformed into something for the person who creates, and for the person who receives it."
Learn more about Stories in Motion: https://www.thecreativecocoon.com/
As a registered expressive arts practitioner, Fay Wilkinson is passionate about stories, both hers and others. Known as a storycatcher, Fay works with people who have life shortening illnesses, mental health challenges, and dementia. Their stories are co-created into a metaphorical story using traditional and digital formats, an offering known as Stories in Motion.
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
"If I had one wish of what the healthcare system knew about end of life doulas, it would be that if you embed end of life doulas into your healthcare settings, not as healthcare professionals, but as social emotional supports that their job would be a lot easier. People would be aware of advanced care plans, and people would be aware of actually just thinking through what they want. Families would be more educated, so families would be calmer and more understanding, and they would know what the death process looked like... together we could really help each other."
Jennifer Mallmes has worked as a caregiver and advocate for quality end of life care in Canada for over 25 years. She has worked extensively in community home care, finding deep purpose in supporting individuals to remain at home as they near the end of life. Jennifer is the co-founder of the End of Life Doula Association of Canada, and the creator and lead instructor of both the End of life Doula program and the Indigenous End of Life Guide program at Douglas College. Jennifer's passion is rooted in the belief that all individuals should have the right to self-determination in their end of life care. Through her work, she strives to ensure that people are empowered to consciously live and die with dignity, choice, and compassion.
Douglas College End of Life Doula program
End of Life Doula Association of Canada
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
"There are people who are saying we can't continue to do what we've always done. Don't tinker around the edges and make things a little bit better in the same old template that you've always had. Get rid of that. Change it radically, be bold, move forward."
Elroy Jespersen envisioned a different type of community where people living with dementia could live their own best life. His vision has resulted in The Village Langley, a groundbreaking community designed for people living with dementia and memory related conditions that offers cottage style living surrounded by five acres of walking past gardens and farm animals.
Learn more about The Village Langley: https://verveseniorliving.com/the-village/
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
How does architectural design impact the quality of life for residents in long-term care? And how does design influence a palliative approach to care? We spoke with two architects at Montgomery Sisam Architects who have a particular passion for thoughtful design in long-term care.
Neda Basharat has been focused on creating home-like environments for seniors within the long-term care sector for over a decade. Her recent work explores innovative models in long-term care, which supports and promotes autonomy for residents, as well as prioritizing both improved resident quality of life and staff wellness.
For almost two decades, Tony Ross has been focused on projects that create a home and provide care for the elderly. A large portion of this work has been supporting innovation in long-term care, working and learning with others to create buildings that pursue normal and the highest quality of life for residents.
Learn more about their work: https://www.montgomerysisam.com/
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
"It's about looking at the finer things... preferences in their meals, and giving families special spaces to be together with their loved ones in those final moments ... ensuring we meet the needs of each individual resident."
Grand View Manor is a long-term care and assisted living facility located in Berwick, in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley.
Laurel Pizarro is a registered nurse and the Director of Care at Grand View Manor with over 10 years experience in geriatric care and a passion for making a meaningful impact in long-term care.
Helen Stoakes is a registered nurse originally from the UK with a background in dementia and palliative care. She is the Nurse Manager at Grand View Manor and leads the Palliative Care Champion Committee.
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
"It's kind of an altered state of consciousness where they are just not themselves. Dealing with my dad, sometimes it comes across as delusions and paranoia, it's this otherness, it is not him. It's a body response or a mind's response to these things that they can't handle." - Marlene Moorman
Delirium is frightening for both the affected person and their loved ones. It can be caused by many factors and is often characterized by confusion and behavioural changes.
We spoke about delirium and dementia with Pam Holliday, Margaret Keatings and Marlene Moorman, members of SPA-LTC's Partner Working Group.
A Partner Working Group is composed of family or care partners with diverse experiences. They add value to research and the development of clinical tools to support professionals and family care partners. The Strengthening a Palliative Approach in Long-Term Care program has put together a Partner Working Group with the support of a grant from Health Canada to help align the materials created for professionals working in long-term care homes and for family members caring for persons living in long-term care homes.
Learn more about SPA-LTC resources for care partners
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
"There's kind of a magical quality with music, a healing or a support really that comes from the music. As long as people have been around, we have been making music and it really does connect with us on an emotional level." - Sheila Killoran
Sheila Killoran is the Education Lead for the Covenant Health Palliative Institute. She is a certified music therapist and holds a Master's in Creative Arts Therapies with an interest in guided imagery and grief. Sheila teaches at the University of Alberta and the University of Saskatchewan, and has provided music therapy for the past 20 years in Palliative Care, Hospice, and Continuing Care settings in Edmonton Alberta.
Learn more about music therapy programs:
Canadian Association of Music Therapists: www.musictherapy.ca
Canadian Music Therapy Training Programs:
Related Links - CAMT : CAMT
https://www.musictherapy.ca/about-camt-music-therapy/related-links/
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
"Sometimes people can really shut down and the horses can get in there and reach in and welcome them back to being present. The horses are gifted. It's all them."
Jennifer Semach is the founding Executive Director and program facilitator of Walkabout Farm Therapeutic Riding Association, a charitable organization in Minden, Ontario that offers free mental and physical health services on 100 acres of land with the help of therapeutic support animals: horses, cats, and rabbits. She also brings miniature horses to visit residents and their families in long-term care.
Equine therapy promotes the physical, neurological, and emotional well -being of all through human and animal interactions.
Learn more about Walkabout Farm: https://walkaboutfarmtra.com/
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
"You don't know what's going wrong. And you have all these theories, but it's a long time before dementia is one of the hypotheses..."
Fay Martin is a retired social worker who lives in Haliburton County, a small rural community in Ontario. She cared for her husband, who had dementia, until his death in 2022. He died with - but not of - dementia, sparing them the ravages of the later stages of that disease. Nevertheless, it knocked their lives sideways.
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
What is person-centered care and how does it contribute to a 'good' death? We spoke with Kristen Lew-Byrne, a registered social worker who talked to us about patient-centered care, and how social workers work with team members, residents and families to help achieve a good death means for each individual.
Kristen Lew-Byrne is a registered social worker who has worked alongside and supported residents and their families within long-term care for 11 years. She works from a holistic person-centered approach, which consists of intersecting psychosocial pieces and needs. Kristen is passionate about taking an ongoing palliative approach and redefining end of life care and what a good death can look like for residents in long-term care.
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
"Nurse Practitioners are well positioned to help residents and families navigate their life limiting illness. We have the knowledge and skillset to provide their primary medical care, their maintenance therapies, and the treatment of chronic illness flareups. I think the value add is that we can also integrate this approach and philosophy throughout the continuum of care."
Nurse Practitioners play a significant role in long-term care, but many homes do not have one on the team. We spoke with Nurse Practitioner Jennifer Burgess about the role and how NPs can support other team members by modelling conversations, and how they are part of a holistic effort to integrate a palliative approach in long-term care.
Jennifer Burgess is a primary healthcare nurse practitioner who has been caring for older adults and within the long-term care sector for 20 years. She has been a direct care provider as a charge nurse and educator, a collaborator with community partners, and is now a nurse practitioner. For the past 10 years, she has been fortunate to have many wonderful mentors in palliative care that initially sparked her interest in helping those who are approaching end of life and who are at the end of life.
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
"I think a lot of people, when you say the word palliative, they think the end of life is imminent. And that's not the case at all. These are conversations that should be starting to happen on move in or even before move-in."
Sarah Murphy is a licensed practical nurse and the assistant director of care at The Hamlet's long-term care community in Vernon, British Columbia. She has been working long-term care for eight years and has served as a Care Service Lead, Care Coordinator, and now the Assistant Director of Care.
In this episode, we spoke with Sarah about the benefits and drawbacks of pre-printed orders, and the need to distinguish between palliative and end-of-life care.
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
How do we support the elderly and their loved ones as they transition through the phases of end of life? Registered Nurse Ryan Collins talks with us about how the Palliative Performance Scale tool and courses through the SPA-LTC program have helped him adapt care strategies for long-term care residents to ensure that they get the care that's right for them.
Ryan Collins is a registered nurse and palliative care champion at a long-term care facility in St. John, New Brunswick. Along with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and a Bachelor of Nursing, Ryan has experience working in acute care settings in both Calgary and New Brunswick.
As a palliative care champion, Ryan aims to provide a comforting end of life phase to the elderly and their loved ones when transitioning through a time of grief, sorrow, and uncertainty.
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
Dr. Melanie Leger is a palliative care physician in Moncton, New Brunswick. She recently developed standardized templates for order sets in palliative, to help guide community and long-term care health professionals as they review and update palliative protocols. The templates also increase efficiency by adding medication quantities and refill orders that can double as a prescription.
"Some of our nursing homes had order sets, but some didn't. This project made me realize that some of these order sets were sometimes dated. It made me think that having it reviewed by palliative care specialists can help make sure they are up to date and evidence-based."
The SPA-LTC podcast has been selected by Feedspot as one of the Top 15 Long Term Care Podcasts on the web!
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
How do we address the issues of health equity when jurisdictional issues create a gap between two systems of care? We spoke with Holly Prince about the barriers to care for Indigenous peoples, and the importance of equitable access to palliative care within Indigenous communities.
Holly Prince is an Anishinaabekwe and a member of Opwaaganisiniing in Northwestern Ontario. She has a Master’s Degree in Social Work and is a Ph.D. Candidate in Educational Studies at Lakehead University. Holly’s research focus is on decolonial and Indigenist education and health, and community-based research.
Holly is the Lead for the Indigenous People's Health and Aging Division at the Centre for Education and Research on Aging and Health, Lakehead University, where she works as a Project Manager. A part of her role involves planning, implementing, and evaluating palliative care education and health equity initiatives for Indigenous peoples across Canada. Holly is also the Project Lead for the Canadian Virtual Hospice’s LivingMyCulture.ca project.
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
A Green Care farm is a combination of agricultural activities and a population that could benefit from time in the outdoors. Green Care Farms CEO and Founder Rebekah Churchyard provides outdoor day programs for people with dementia, connecting them with nature on a farm in Milton, Ontario. The program includes planning and planting sensory gardens, and growing food for the local food. She says that research shows that these types of programs can result in a delay in admission to long-term care, while building psycho-social wellbeing.
Rebekah holds a Master of Social Work in Gerontology, and works in Specialized Geriatric Services. Rebekah is also a Project Management Professional (PMP) and Psychotherapist. She relocated from Toronto back to Kitchener-Waterloo in 2020 on a mission to start Green Care Farms Inc.! In Toronto she gained extensive volunteer experience in charitable board governance and in municipal policy.
Rebekah served as President and Vice-President with the Toronto Council on Aging Board of Directors and as an Accountability Table member with the City of Toronto’s Seniors Strategy.
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
How do we better support family, friends, and long-term care staff as they grieve the death of a long-term care resident? Joe Peters is a funeral director with more than 35 years of experience at funeral homes in Toronto. He has supported many family members and friends through grief, and he has also experienced a wide range of approaches to honoring the deaths of residents in long-term care.
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
Living with a disability can add extra complexity in health care settings, especially if communication is a challenge. Carrie Batt draws from her personal and extensive professional experience within the developmental disability sector to offer end of life care, support and planning for people across the disability spectrum.
She helps people navigate systems for equitable and quality healthcare, and provides disability-informed end of life and grief support through her business. Seoul Care. Carrie also educates presents and rights for the disability, death, care, and bereavement communities about how untapped the topic of death, dying grief, loss, and disability currently remains.
Seol Care: https://seolcare.ca/
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
How do we ensure that Indigenous people receive palliative care that aligns with their culture and spirituality? In this episode, guest host and researcher Mary Lou Kelley has a conversation with Jeroline Smith, a retired nurse, Elder and Knowledge Keeper who has made significant contributions to palliative care for Indigenous people. Jeroline talks about the importance of community, the need for more training and resources, and the need for more long-term care homes in Indigenous communities.
Jeroline Smith is a retired nurse currently working as an Elder and Knowledge Keeper to advise the work of Canadian Virtual Hospice, the Lakehead University Centre for Education and Research on Aging and Health, and the regional home care program in Manitoba. In 2019, she received the Award of Excellence from the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association, and has made significant contributions to several national palliative care initiatives.
Since 1972, researcher Mary Lou Kelley has been engaged in gerontology and palliative care practice, teaching and research. She has made major contributions to research in long-term care, and rural and First Nations communities, using participatory, community development approaches to empower and support community members and front line workers.
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
How do we make mission statements real ? Pat Morden says that leadership is critical to ensuring that people have autonomy and a sense of purpose to understand the mission.
Pat Morden, the 'upcycled' CEO of Shalom Village, is committed to enriching the experiences of those who need to live closer to care and want to live life on their own terms. Pat has worked to achieve this alongside others in a variety of settings, including as a front line nurse, university faculty member, CEO, executive coach, a member of numerous boards, and the captain of a world championship Canadian dragon boat team.
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
Bahar Karimi believes that compassion is the foundation to a palliative approach to care, and that it starts with ensuring that team members feel valued, safe and cared for. She believes that we need a culture change in long-term care, one that identifies residents' multi-dimensional needs and gives team members the knowledge and tools to provide the best possibly care and quality of life.
Bahar Karimi is the Executive Director of Long-Term Care Services and the Chair of Research at Thrive Group, a nonprofit organization that supports long-term care supportive housing and assistive living organizations in Ontario. Baha has a master's degree in nursing as well as a master's degree in Health administration, and is a certified health executive with the Canadian College of Health Leaders. Her passion is advocacy for health system transformation, compassionate leadership, and for mobilizing teams to provide exemplary quality of care and services
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
What role do End of Life Doulas play in long-term care, and how can they help residents, family members and long-term care staff during the dying experience? We spoke with End of Life Nurse Educator Olga Nikolajev about the role of an End of Life Doula in long-term care, and how they contribute to quality end-of-life care.
Olga Nikolajev is an end of life nurse educator with over 25 years of professional experience as a registered nurse in various healthcare settings, including hospice palliative care. She facilitates online courses through Centennial College, as well as the End of Life Doula course through Douglas College. She's also the founder and director of the Death Doula Ontario Network. Olga has been involved in national, provincial, and local community efforts to shift the way we view and approach our dying experience, death and grief, including how we care for each other at the end of life and beyond.
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
Speech language pathologists have a unique and important role in a palliative approach to care, especially when it comes to managing risk and maintaining quality of life. Caitlin Buchell is a Speech Language Pathologist working in Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario. She works with individuals with neurological disorders at the end of life to maximize their quality of life and ensure that they're able to communicate. Caitlin also works in palliative care and is the consulting speech language pathologist with the Manitoba Medical Assistance in Dying team.
Speech-Language & Audiology Canada (SAC)is a member-driven organization that supports and promotes the professions of more than 6,500 members and associates including over 800 audiologists. Their resource toolkit is designed to inform health-care professionals, patients/clients and their loved ones about common communication and swallowing issues at the end of life.
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
When you think of paramedics, do you think of 911 and emergency services? A community paramedics program in Peterborough is working to provide palliative and social services to seniors at home, with a goal to help them live well at home for as long as they can. Paramedics provide medical, emotional and mental health supports, and can identify individuals who may be at risk. They are also an advocate for patients and caregivers, and develop strong relationships within the community.
We spoke with Craig Jones, the Deputy Chief of Community Projects with the Peterborough County and City Paramedics. He brings 30 years of experience to the role and has a passion for supporting individuals in staying well at home.
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
A new diversity toolkit is providing resources for long-term care organizations to help raise awareness of issues of equity, diversity and inclusion. The Embracing Diversity: A Toolkit for Supporting Inclusion in Long-Term Care Homes is an interactive resource with print and online components that gives long-term care homes practical steps to nurture diverse and welcoming communities.
We spoke with Michelle Fleming and Ashley Flanagan about the toolkit and the importance of understanding issues of equity, diversity and inclusion in long-term care.
Michelle Fleming is a senior knowledge broker at the Ontario Centres for Learning Research and Innovation in Long-Term Care. Dr. Ashley Flanagan is a research fellow in Diversity in Aging at the National Institute on Aging.
For more information about the toolkit, contact Michelle at: MFleming@bruyere.org
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
"That's where the communication bit really is important. There's still medicine along the way, there's still chronic disease management. but it's the soft skills and the relationships and how you can leverage that to really make that stay for the long-term care resident and their family as peaceful, as comfortable and as high quality for them as possible."
Dr. Henry Sue is an associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine at McMaster University. He has a clinical interest in working with older adults in primary care, and his scholarship is focused on long-term care. He has also been an active attending physician in a Hamilton Long Term Care home since 2010.
Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/
Courtney Hicks is a PhD student at the University of Waterloo in the School of Public Health Sciences, Aging Health and Wellbeing program. Her research focuses on a palliative approa h to care for persons living with dementia in long-term care settings. For two years, she worked as a Meaningful Connections Coordinator alongside a recreation and leisure team in a long-term care home in southern Ontario. During our conversation, she spoke about her personal and professional experiences with long-term care and palliative care, and the importance of building competencies in a palliative approach to care for all members of the team.
Dr. Sandy Shamon is a physician and medical director working in long-term care, and a palliative care consultant at Sinai Health in Toronto, Ontario, Dr. Shamon is interested in improving quality of care in long-term care, through research and her advocacy role with the Ontario long-term care clinicians organization, where she works to champion system reform and education to enhance the quality of care in these settings.
Jen Logan has been nursing for 25 years and has worked in palliative care in many capacities, including community nursing care coordination for a palliative care team. In her current role as a palliative pain and symptom management consultant, she is also an advanced care planning regional champion, which allows her to build the capacity of frontline care providers in advanced care planning and the provision of person-centered care for patients and families.
Kim Rogers has been a nurse for almost 20 years, and has been a palliative pain and symptom management consultant for nearly seven years. Prior to this role, she was a nurse on a hematology floor. She's a graduate of Brock university with a Bachelor of Arts and also a graduate of Mohawk College in Nursing. As a facilitator of palliative care education, Kim loves passing on her knowledge to other healthcare providers.
Gita Rafiee is a Clinical Nurse Specialist at Fraser Health in British Columbia, and a clinical Instructor at Vancouver community college. She has extensive experience in several clinical settings, including Acute care, Assisted Living and Long-Term Care, and she works with students, patients, families, and interdisciplinary teams to promote patient health and well-being and quality of life.
Nick Petropolis is a family doctor and the Physician Lead for Fraser Health’s Palliative Approach to Care in Long-Term Care in British Columbia. He is passionate about doing Family Medicine “the right way,” by listening to his patient's ideas, fears and especially enjoys helping the elderly navigate the oftentimes confusing healthcare world we live in, and ensuring that their final years are as comfortable as possible.
Sandra Chow is a recently retired teacher and program consultant who worked for 30 years with the Waterloo and Hamilton boards of education. She has continued her learning in retirement with courses from the university of Toronto, continuing studies in mindfulness informed end of life care. She also recently became involved with the community of practice for strengthening a palliative approach in long term care.
In this podcast, Sandra talks about her experiences caring for her mother in long-term care, and the importance of a palliative approach to care.
Dr. Amit Arya is a palliative care physician who works in hospital, home care, and long-term care facilities, and is also a professor at the University of Toronto and McMaster University. He's currently the palliative care lead at Kensington Health in Toronto, and also works at the Freeman Centre for Palliative Care at North York General Hospital in Toronto, Ontario. He holds multiple leadership roles at the national, provincial and local level, and was awarded the 2020 Award of Excellence in Social Responsibility from the Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto.
In 2021, Dr. Arya co-founded Doctors for Justice in Long-Term Care, a coalition of over a thousand physicians and researchers advocating for an overhaul of the long-term care system in Ontario. He has been featured in the media speaking about long-term care on well-known programs such as CBC's The National, CTV’s The Social, and TVO’s The Agenda.
Jackie McDonald recently retired after being a Personal Support Worker for the past 27 years. She has worked in both community and long-term care settings in Thunder Bay, and she was the PSW lead for the Quality Palliative Care in Long-Term Care project at Lakehead University from 2004 to 2009. Through this project, Jackie has help to develop many initiatives pertaining to bettering the quality of life for residents, families, and staff.
Dr. Patricia Strachan is an associate professor in the School of Nursing at McMaster University. Her clinical background is in emergency intensive care and adult medical surgical nursing.
Dr. Strachan's research interests have evolved as she works to understand how we talk with patients living with advanced heart failure about their illness and its implications. Her focus in education and research is on optimizing nurses' capacities for meaningful conversations in challenging contexts, and particularly with patients living with advanced illness.
Laura Bulmer is a Registered Nurse with a Masters in Education who has extensive palliative care experience.
As full- time faculty in a Toronto college, Laura has taught in the nursing and Personal Support Worker programs for over 2 decades. She is the recipient of an RNAO Best Practice Award for her work in palliative care including the My Story and Can We Talk project.
Laura’s passions include advocating for Personal Support Workers and enhancing palliative care education.
Since 1972, researcher Mary Lou Kelley has been engaged in gerontology and palliative care practice, teaching and research. She has made major contributions to research in long-term care, and rural and First Nations communities, using participatory, community development approaches to empower and support community members and front line workers.
Her research has led to changes that have improved end of life care for people, their families and communities. Mary Lou was a professor at Lakehead University for 35 years, and is now a team member working on the Strengthening a Palliative Approach in Long-Term care project, as well as a volunteer for Compassionate Ottawa.