Life & Death Matters

JANUARY 15, 2024

What is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month? Alzheimer’s Awareness Month is an annual campaign organized by the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. The campaign takes place throughout January and aims to educate the public about the impact of these conditions on individuals, families, and communities.

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Life & Death Matters

JANUARY 2, 2024

Guest Contributor: Misha Butot Given that dying and death are as natural as birth, why do people become fearful about being with a dead body or providing care for a person’s body after death? Even mentioning these topics here is likely to have some readers shivering and feeling some distaste. Where do fears of death […] The post Unveiling the Roots of our Fear of Dying and Dead Bodies appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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Life & Death Matters

DECEMBER 11, 2023

To the Life and Death Matters Community, Ted and I want to express our gratitude, care, concern and hopes as the holiday season approaches. We are a community with diverse perspectives and beliefs. Some of us celebrate the Winter Solstice, others celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah and other faith-based festivals. For each, even within the same faith […] The post Hopes, Dreams and Reflections at Midwinter appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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Life & Death Matters

DECEMBER 10, 2023

Guest Contributor: Nadine Valk My father-in-law was an extraordinary human being: grounded, thoughtful, compassionate, and wise. So, when he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and had to make a quick decision about treatment, I shouldn’t have been surprised that for Dave, it wasn’t an automatic yes. He wanted to know about the big picture […] The post Book Recommendation: Hope for the Best, Plan for the Rest appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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Life & Death Matters

NOVEMBER 23, 2023

Guest contributor: Rebecca V. Hoden, DNP, RN, CHPN She knew it would be her last Thanksgiving. Her family gathered with her and conversations flourished. There were stories, laughter and tears shared – all while new memories were being made. I visited the home on Thanksgiving day and was greeted by laughter. And I heard the […] The post The Powerful Legacy of Thanksgiving Day Laughter appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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Life & Death Matters

NOVEMBER 20, 2023

Guest Contributor – Bev Foster I have always had a strong sense that music is my close companion along the journey of life. Music continues to accompany me through various life passages giving me a deeper sense of connection and belonging, rekindling old bonds and forming new ones. Music’s ability to connect people whether it’s […] The post Relationship Completion and the Power of a Song appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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Life & Death Matters

NOVEMBER 6, 2023

My heart is full as I remember – Remembrance Day. And my heart is full as I consider – today – the news – wars, deaths due to toxic drug supply, intimate violence, racism, poverty, climate change, fear. Loss and grief are not just personal. We experience loss and we grieve individually, in community, nationally […] The post Reflecting on Remembrance Day and Three Important Things I Learned appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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Life & Death Matters

OCTOBER 30, 2023

Kathy Kortes-Miller has generously provided the first chapter of her book “Talking about death won’t kill you” for us to post here! Have a read – we think you’ll agree it’s a stunning resource. If you are interested, Kathy is speaking about her book in our webinar on November 7, 2023. Registration info is at […] The post Sneak Peek!

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Life & Death Matters

SEPTEMBER 18, 2023

Alzheimer's disease is multi factorial - in that there are many factors that increase the likelihood of developing the disease. Some risk factors cannot be changed, and some can be changed. Let's look at the risk factors for developing Alzheimer's disease so that you can make adjustments to your lifestyle that can reduce your risk. The post Unravelling the New Risk Factors for Alzheimer’s Disease appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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Life & Death Matters

OCTOBER 19, 2023

Talking About Death Won’t Kill You sounds like a story-book title, but it is actually a nonfiction book packed with “informational how-to’s” – as in how to talk about death and is written by Kathy Kortes-Miller – a palliative care educator and researcher. It is a wonderful book to read whether you are a healthcare […] The post Book Recommendation: “Talking About Death Won’t Kill You” by Dr.

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Life & Death Matters

SEPTEMBER 29, 2023

One of the people on the care team that is not often considered is the body removal attendant. After everyone in the family has said good-bye to the deceased person and rituals and traditions have been observed, a body removal attendant comes to a home, care facility or hospital to take the person into their […] The post Behind the Scenes: Life as a Body Removal Attendant appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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Life & Death Matters

SEPTEMBER 25, 2023

I fully and wholeheartedly support September 30th – Orange Shirt Day – as the national day dedicated to truth and reconciliation in Canada. It’s an invitation and opportunity for every Canadian to publicly acknowledge and honour the thousands of Indigenous children who were forcibly removed from their families and communities and placed in residential schools. […] The post Why I Struggle with Orange Shirt Day appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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Life & Death Matters

SEPTEMBER 18, 2023

World Alzheimer’s Month occurs in September – and is a month when people around the world unite to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects the brain and leads to cognitive decline and memory loss[1]. The number of people living with dementia will likely triple by the year 2050!

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Life & Death Matters

SEPTEMBER 4, 2023

Imagine that you have a loved one who is moving closer to death – it could be weeks, days, or hours. You don’t know. You are not certain of what is happening, and how long before the person dies. Or perhaps you are the only family member in town with the loved one, and have […] The post 5 Ways an End-of-Life Doula Can Help Families Navigate the Journey appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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Life & Death Matters

AUGUST 28, 2023

In October 2019 Ted and I flew to join Siobhan. We desired to support her in her grief. We walked the beaches together. Four months earlier, her eldest son, Saren, who was 22 years old died in a freak accident in the mountains, doing what he loved. Little did we know. Three months later, our […] The post Book Recommendation: Unobservable: Poems of Grief and Grace, by Siobhan Westrop appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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Life & Death Matters

AUGUST 24, 2023

We have worked hard this year to collect feedback and update our resources to better help learners and teachers. Watch this video to see the challenges we heard, and how our revised resources mitigate these issues. The post NEW! 2023 Resource Updates appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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Life & Death Matters

AUGUST 18, 2023

When a loved one has dementia, there are many endings that they and their family must face. Perhaps one of the most significant and difficult endings is when the decline in the person’s abilities means they can no longer live at home on their own or with family and must be moved to live in […] The post The Dementia Difference: Moving a Loved One to Long-term Care appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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Life & Death Matters

AUGUST 8, 2023

Written by Kath Murray & Ann-Marie Gilbert How it started As a teenager, I volunteered and poured tea at the small nursing home (rest home) where my great-grandmother lived. It was a few blocks from my high school. Granny celebrated her 100th birthday there, she helped with meal prep and even helped “care for” the […] The post Let’s talk about reframing nursing homes as community hubs appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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Life & Death Matters

JULY 17, 2023

It is summer. Time for light reading. But also, a time for inspiration. I have just the book for you! The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse. The story of how these four beings come together, find friendship, share wisdom, love, and humour. When I first read it, I fell in love. I […] The post Book Recommendation: The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and The Horse appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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Life & Death Matters

JULY 6, 2023

Dear friends, We are thrilled to announce and celebrate our esteemed colleague, Kath Murray. It is with great joy that we extend our heartfelt congratulations to Kath for being honoured last month with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Palliative Care Nursing Association (CPCNA). This recognition is a testament to Kath’s unwavering dedication to […] The post Congratulations, Kath Murray, on Your Lifetime Achievement Award from CPCNA!

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Life & Death Matters

JULY 3, 2023

As summer approaches and travel resumes, it is not uncommon for family members with loved ones in long-term care to ask this question as they try to decide whether or not to take a vacation…whether that is going on a long-planned family holiday for a few weeks, spending a couple of nights away in a […] The post “Do I Stay or do I Go?” appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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Life & Death Matters

MAY 29, 2023

LGBTQ2+ people face several barriers to accessing healthcare. These barriers have a significant impact on the day-to-day health and well-being of these individuals as well as delaying the diagnosis and subsequent treatment of life-limiting illnesses. As a person’s health declines, these barriers may prevent a person from accessing palliative care support from community healthcare and […] The post The Top LGBTQ2+ Barriers to Accessing Palliative Care and 6 Ways to Help appeared first on Lif

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Life & Death Matters

MAY 15, 2023

We hope that the revisions to the workbook and Instructor’s Guide will bring PSWs another step closer to ensuring that any person with a life-limiting illness will have the opportunity to be fully supported in their journey. Join us on a brief tour of the revised Workbook and Instructor’s Guide, learn what makes them unique […] The post Get Ready for Our New, Improved Workbook & Instructor’s Guide!

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Life & Death Matters

MAY 3, 2023

As we celebrate Palliative Care Month, the Life & Death Matters team wants to send a heartfelt and sincere thank you to you all! The post A Thank You Letter from Life & Death Matters appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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Life & Death Matters

APRIL 17, 2023

Written by Michelle O’Rourke Care is a word that is frequently used, yet often taken for granted. We can ask someone, “What do you want in your coffee?” and they may reply with, “Milk or cream – I don’t care.” In the world of health care, we tend to use this word as something task-oriented […] The post The Platinum Rule: A Guide to Compassionate Caregiving appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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Life & Death Matters

APRIL 6, 2023

Author: Rebecca Skoot If you received a COVID vaccine, you’ve benefited from the life of Henrietta Lacks Rebecca Skoot shares the story of Henrietta Lacks, an ordinary Black woman in 1951, living with five children in the USA. Henrietta became ill and went to Johns Hopkins Hospital for diagnosis and then treatment of advanced cervical […] The post Book Recommendation: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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Life & Death Matters

APRIL 4, 2023

Written by Isabelle Leslie The beginning of April has two very important days to reflect upon; Invisible Work Day and National Caregiver Day. It’s a coincidence that they occur very close together, but it’s fitting that they do. On National Caregiver Day we recognize the many people who are caring for someone diagnosed with a […] The post Discussing Invisible Work Day and National Caregiver Day appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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Life & Death Matters

MARCH 20, 2023

From Elizabeth Causton, MSW, Counsellor – Palliative Response Team As a PSW, situations will challenge your ability to maintain your therapeutic boundaries — meaning that it will be difficult to keep your personal baggage from getting in the way of providing compassionate, non-judgmental, empathetic care. Responding to questions about Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) may […] The post Using VERS When Responding to Questions About MAID appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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Life & Death Matters

MARCH 3, 2023

There are very few issues in healthcare right now that generate stronger emotions than MAID – Medical Assistance in Dying. In June 2016, MAID became legal in Canada. Since then, some of the people who met the criteria for MAID have chosen to die with MAID. As people become aware of MAID, they may explore […] The post Four Skills You’ll Need When Supporting a Person Exploring MAID appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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Life & Death Matters

FEBRUARY 13, 2023

We are very excited to announce new Life and Death Matters resources for students! Let’s get started because there is so much to report. The post New Palliative Care Resources for the New Year! appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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Palliative care resources Palliative care Palliate Hospice 100

Life & Death Matters

FEBRUARY 3, 2023

To be honest, I never thought I would become an academic. The post Healing, Stitching, and Presence appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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Life & Death Matters

JANUARY 23, 2023

We know that all healthcare providers need to meet the basic competencies for integrating a palliative approach into care. Developing some of those competencies is required by PSWs and Nurses in their core curriculum. But, we hear that students are anxious about providing palliative care and learning to care for the body after death. We […] The post Why weave a palliative approach through core curriculum?

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Palliate Palliative care Healthcare Nursing 100

Life & Death Matters

JANUARY 21, 2023

As if we needed another reason to hug one another, did you know that January 21st is International Hugging Day? Get your arm stretches in now! The post International Hugging Day appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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Life & Death Matters

DECEMBER 19, 2022

As we move through December, I reflect on the past year and wonder what the new year may bring. I am grateful, and at Life and Death Matters, we are grateful, for all the opportunities we had to connect with people – in person – especially in the past few months. It was wonderful to […]. The post Winter Reflections and Greetings from Life and Death Matters appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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JANUARY 9, 2023

Palliative care, dying, death, and caring for a dying person are topics that many people are not familiar with and may prefer to avoid. We hear from educators that many PSW students are fearful or apprehensive regarding palliative care, care of the dying, and care of the body after death. It must become frustrating at […]. The post Educators: Two Keys to Getting the Most from the Life & Death Matters Resources appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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Life & Death Matters

NOVEMBER 21, 2022

What are Canadians asking about palliative care? We were curious to know what Canadians are asking or wanting to know about palliative care and a palliative approach. While these concepts may be clear to some in health care, they may be foreign to others. To satisfy our curiosity, we did some online research to determine […]. The post Canada’s Top 3 Questions About Palliative Care and a Palliative Approach appeared first on Life and Death Matters.

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Life & Death Matters

DECEMBER 5, 2022

Guest Blog developed in collaboration with Jessica Knox, A Balanced Body. “If my body can learn dysregulated ways of coping, it could also learn healthy routes to recovery.” Dr. Nicole LePera December is here. We are at the end of another difficult year where healthcare providers and communities wrestled with the ongoing pandemic issues and […].

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