Palliative Care Resources

To support health care professionals in being able to provide a palliative care approach to patients and families, Pallium is collaborating with partners and subject matter experts from across Canada to create and compile palliative care resources.

Webinars

Thanks to the Bridging HOPE partnership, a series of webinars were hosted on topics relevant to health care teams who are working to implement a palliative care approach across care settings. The Bridging HOPE partnership, a collaboration between Pallium and Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd., is a national effort focused on expanding patient access to palliative care by providing health care professionals with the skills and tools they need to help deliver care and support to patients with life-limiting illnesses and their families.

The following 25 free webinars were created by more than 65 subject matter experts and have been attended by 6,500 health care professionals representing 978 communities across Canada. Health care professionals continue to access the webinars regularly with 35,000+ video views—and over 90% of online webinar participants reported that the session was relevant to their practice, and they would recommend it to their colleagues.

All webinar recordings, PowerPoint presentation slides, and additional resources can be found below. Special thanks to Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec for sponsoring the French language webinars.

PPE in the Home

How to provide home-based palliative care with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

End-of-Life Care in the ED for Patients Imminently Dying of a Transmissible Acute Respiratory Infection (such as COVID-19)

Learn best practices in caring for confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients who are nearing end-of-life in the emergency department.

Managing Dyspnea in Patients with COVID-19
Learn about the importance of advance care planning and how to undertake it, as well as managing dyspnea in patients with COVID-19.
Shortage of Palliative Medications during COVID-19: Options
By exploring shortages of key medications used in palliative care, including midazolam and methotrimeprazine, learn about the available options for clinicians to consider.
Reorganizing Palliative Care Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Learn about rearranging palliative care services locally, regionally, and provincially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Palliative Approach to Care in the Coronavirus Pandemic
Learn about symptom management, palliative sedation, and last days and hours as it relates to COVID-19 patients.
Role of Grief and Bereavement in the Care of Health Care Providers and their Families during COVID-19
Looking at Spain’s health care providers as an example, learn how to care for yourself as a health care provider during the pandemic.
Palliative Approach to Care in Long-Term Care during COVID-19
Learn how COVID-19 has impacted residents, families, and staff in long-term care.
Providing Virtual Palliative Care
Learn how to start providing virtual care, what changes to make since the start of the pandemic, and what resources can help you adapt.
Essential Conversations: Utilizing Advance Care Planning and Serious Illness Tools During COVID-19 and Throughout the Patient Journey
Learn about engaging in proactive discussions with patients by using Advance Care Planning and Serious Illness Tools.
The Psychological Impact of COVID on Health Care Professionals
Learn how to care for yourself and colleagues during difficult times.
Approche palliative et personnes âgées en milieu hospitalier dans le contexte du Covid 19 (in French)
How one hospital learned to adapt quickly to COVID-19.
The State of Palliative Care in Hospitals: Insights from the COVID Pandemic
Learn how hospitals can strengthen access to palliative care for patients who could benefit from it.
Palliative Care in the Home: Lessons From COVID
Reflect on how COVID-19 has affected the delivery of palliative care in patient’s homes and the strengths and weaknesses it has exposed.
Childcare and Caregiving during COVID: Challenges for Palliative Care Health Care Workers
Learn about the new challenges COVID-19 has brought for palliative care professionals who also have responsibilities of caring for children and others.
Trauma Informed Palliative Care
Learn how trauma informed care is relevant to palliative care practice.
Shortage of Palliative Care Medications during COVID-19 – Part 2
Explore recent experiences with drug shortages and learn about additional recommendations.
Exploring Trauma Informed Palliative Care for Populations Experiencing Structural Vulnerability
Explore the impact of structural vulnerabilities on access to care and the consequences of trauma in our communities.
Clinical Protocols: What Real Cases Have Taught Us
Presenters share their experiences caring for patients with COVID-19 symptoms.
L’impact de la COVID-19 sur les soins palliatifs au Québec (in French)
Learn about the impact of palliative care delivery in Quebec across various settings of care.
Les soins palliatifs et la COVID en CHSLD (in French)
By sharing their experiences, presenters discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the delivery of palliative care in long-term care and nursing homes in Quebec.
Prendre en charge l’insuffisance cardiaque sévère à domicile en pandémie (in French)
Learn to recognize advanced and end-stage heart disease, integrate curative and palliative treatments in the home, and organize safe home medical care.
Télémédecine en soins palliatifs en temps de pandémie (in French)
Learn how telemedicine has allowed health care professionals to adapt care during the pandemic.
Prendre en charge l’insuffisance rénale à domicile en pandémie (in French)
Learn how to recognize advanced and end-stage renal disease, integrate curative and palliative treatments, and organize safe home medical care.
Organisation des soins médicaux à domicile en dehors des acronymes : SAD, SIAD, SAD aigu (in French)
Learn about the professional expertise required in providing care in the home through various tricks of the trade.
Les derniers jours : sédation et soulagement des symptômes (in French)
Learn the main warning signs of end-of-life and the pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions used in the relief of dyspnea and pain.
Prendre en charge l’insuffisance hépatique à domicile en pandémie (in French)
Learn how to recognize advanced and end-stage liver disease, integrate curative and palliative treatments, and organize safe home medical care.
Advance Care Planning and Goals of Care Discussions: Getting us all on the same page (plus practical tips!)
Learn the relationship and difference between ACP and GOCD, what is involved with each, and how values-based decisions can be made.

Additional COVID-related palliative care resources

Pallium, in collaboration with the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), is providing access to two COVID-specific palliative care modules for all health care professionals in response to this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. Palliative Care for COVID Illness – Module A and Palliative Care for COVID Illness – Module B are available for free to all health care professionals either as a recorded webinar or in PowerPoint format. The modules are self-directed and completed at your own pace. Access these modules by logging in to Pallium Central and clicking on the COVID-19 palliative care resources icon.

The Canadian Palliative Care (CPC) Exchange supports interactive, online national dialogue between health care professionals across Canada regarding the most relevant COVID-related topics in palliative care. The CPC Exchange is a professional learning site, moderated by members of the Canadian Society of Palliative Care Physicians, and open to all health care professionals including physicians, nurses, social workers, and pharmacists. There is no cost to participate.

Join the CPC Exchange now to:

  • Ask questions about palliative care during the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Share your experiences
  • Teach and learn with colleagues from across Canada

Join now: www.cpcexchange.ca

Pallium, in collaboration with several health care professionals from across Canada, has created a guide to managing potential palliative care medication shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic. Access the guide now.

Pallium has partnered with physicians in British Columbia to help develop a video to support conversations around advance care planning during the pandemic. This video is intended as a clinical resource that health care providers can use with patients and their families to initiate a talk about advance care planning amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Watch the video now.

Pallium has compiled a list of additional COVID-19 related resources, such as symptom management protocols and discussion guides, that have been developed by others (e.g. Fraser Health, McMaster University) and we’ll continue to add to the list as we become aware of them. Access these resources by logging into Pallium Central and clicking on the COVID-19 palliative care resources icon.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, our partners have responded by compiling a series of tools and resources for health care teams across Canada.

  • Canadian Virtual Hospice – CVH has compiled a list of tools and resources that is continuously updated and includes information related to symptom management, communication, free online learning, and more.
  • McMaster University, Division of Palliative Care – The Division of Palliative Care has compiled a list of COVID-19 resources for health care professionals including podcasts, protocols, and guidelines.
  • The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada – To support health care professionals who are providing high quality patient care during the pandemic, the Royal College has compiled evidence-based information and resources about COVID-19.

This Impact Report provides a snapshot of the achievements that have been made to support frontline health care providers working in urban, rural, and remote communities and connect them to vital COVID-19 palliative care education to help equip them to navigate these unprecedented health care circumstances. Read the report now.

Additional resources for health care providers, teams, and workplaces

A practical, peer-reviewed, and fully referenced one-stop resource that is intended to support safe, ethical, effective, and accountable palliative clinical service. The Pocketbook is a practical, interprofessional just-in-time clinical resource that can be referenced in a health care professional’s daily practice. Purchase the hard copy or e-book now.

If you are looking for more information beyond the resources provided on this page, consider registering for LEAP™ Core (online), a facilitated online learning program that consists of self-directed, interactive modules and facilitated webinars. LEAP™ Core (online) provides an in-depth learning experience on essential skills and competencies of the palliative care approach. Learn more about LEAP™ Core (online) now.

Creating a more compassionate workplace environment is everyone’s business. Demographic shifts are placing more pressure on those who struggle to balance work and caregiving responsibilities.

The Compassionate Workplace Campaign has been designed to help companies improve their ‘care culture’ by proactively supporting those among us who are caregiving, grieving, or living with a serious illness. This includes practical turnkey activities, tools, and resources to further engage your employees around the issues, either as a stand alone initiative or to complement your existing activities. The goal is to drive positive change in your workplace for your most valuable resource: your people.

Contact Bonnie Tompkins at btompkins@pallium.ca to learn more about the campaign and how it can support you and your team.

If you have any questions about Pallium’s COVID-19 Response Resources, please contact our support team:

Send us an Email

Have any questions? Email us anytime at: info@pallium.ca

Click to chat

Connect one-on-one, in real-time, through live chat with a Pallium representative. Available Monday-Friday 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM ET.

Give us a Call

You can call us directly at 1-833-888-LEAP™ (5327).