. However, research has shown that palliative care in long-term care homes is . It is important that these settings, and the staff within them, are prepared and can support individuals and their families to the best of their ability using a to care.
As outlined in , palliative care in Canada should be available and accessible to all people in Canada no matter where they live, their background, financial situation, etc. This Community of Practice, and the networking, learning, and sharing involved, can help reach this goal and similar goals outlined internationally. .
The Palliative Approach in Long-Term Care Community of Practice (LTC CoP) is a group of professionals, patients, caregivers, and other interested individuals who come together to share experiences and best practices regarding Advance Care Planning and palliative approaches in long-term care education and implementation - including challenges and successes. This group is run in collaboration with Strengthening a Palliative Approach in Long-Term Care and the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association.
is an approach to care created by health researchers and developed through clinical expertise and research. SPA-LTC combines best practices and evidence-based knowledge to create resources, provide information and education, and ensure all people in Canada who enter long-term care homes have quality of life and death.
The is the national voice of hospice palliative care in Canada. The CHPCA supports organizations, educators, researchers, and clinicians through awareness campaigns, knowledge translation, partnership building, advocacy, and national initiatives.
The community of practice has three main goals:
- to act as a professional resource to colleagues on Advance Care Planning and palliative approaches in long-term care education and implementation.
- to share tools and resources to advance best practices in advance care planning and palliative approaches in long-term care across Canada.
- and to provide a safe space to discuss, learn, and explore different perspectives on Advance Care Planning and palliative approaches in long-term care.
This community meets every month alternating between speaker presentations and member sharing meetings. Previous presentations have included Enabling Quality Intellectual and Developmental Disability Palliative Care, Supporting Dignity through Inclusive Decision Making, 2SLBTQ+ Support in Long-Term Care, and more! Presenters and speakers join the Community of Practice both nationally and internationally allowing a depth and breadth of education and understanding of palliative approaches to care in long-term care. Please note, meetings are held in English.
In addition to the Long-Term Care Community of Practice, the partnership between the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association and the Strengthening a Palliative Approach in Long-Term Care helped develop the . This toolkit includes comprehensive, easy-to-read tools outlining When and how Advance Care Planning should happen in Long-Term Care, Tips and Tools for Integrating Advance Care Planning into Long-Term Care, and Training and Supporting the Long-Term Care Team.
The LTC CoP meetings occur on the second Thursday of each month (with a few exceptions), with the next meeting happening on March 7th, 2024. This presentation will focus on . This innovative care concept, widely used in the Netherlands, offers a homelike environment for people with dementia, promoting person-centered care, autonomy, and a higher quality of life. Discover how these farms can be a valuable alternative to traditional nursing homes, fostering engagement and social interaction.
Participants have stated that the CoP is an 鈥渆xcellent avenue for networking and gaining evolving best practice [research].鈥� Through education, resource sharing, and networking, the Palliative Approach in Long-Term Care Community of Practice furthers the understanding of palliative care, provides concrete tools and resources to implement this approach and support staff, as well as provides a space for questions to be asked to better this approach and the quality of living and dying in long-term care homes. This Community of Practice can also help reach the goals outlined in the Palliative Care Framework and ensure palliative care is accessible wherever people call home.
Are you a LTC nurse, PSW, social worker, administrator, etc.? Join the LTC CoP and learn about the many ways a palliative care approach can be implemented in your region. Please note, the LTC CoP is offered in English only at this time. If you are interested in learning more about the Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care, please contact Karine Diedrich at kdiedrich [at] chpca.ca. If you would like to register for this community of practice, please sign-up .