This workshop focuses on the palliative care abilities required of a support worker and the context in which palliative care is provided. We’ll discuss the many facets of the process of dying, the impact on the client’s family/friends, the impact personal beliefs have on a worker’s ability to provide support, and the fundamental skills to providing optimal support.

This workshop will help your staff:

• view dying as a process that is unique to the person
• identify personal attitudes and feelings with regard to client death and the worker’s role in supporting the person who is dying, as well as support to those closest to the client
• describe common physical, social and emotional challenges to client comfort and discuss techniques to address these challenges
• identify the worker’s role within a support team, should it exist
• discuss the worker’s personal needs for support, as they may arise when caring for a client who is dying

This workshop is typically offered as a 3-hour session but if you prefer a longer or shorter duration, it can be customized to fit your organization's specific requirements.

For more information, please contact us at info@capacitybuilders.ca.

Pain may not be the most significant symptom to the palliative client. This session will introduce participants to the use of the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) to identify common non-pain symptoms of discomfort in the person who is dying. The ESAS focusses on non-pain sources of discomfort/impairment and their impact upon the client. PSWs will also learn helpful strategies to promote comfort with these specific symptoms, as well as methods to share these strategies with others in the support team.

This session will help your staff:

• discuss and apply the ESAS to situations drawn from work situations
• identify potential sources of non-pain discomfort
• identify and apply potential responses to identified sources, given situations drawn from work situations
• document successful strategies in the care plan.

This workshop is typically offered as a 3-hour session but if you prefer a longer or shorter duration, it can be customized to fit your organization's specific requirements.

For more information, please contact us at info@capacitybuilders.ca.

This workshop focuses on the use of non-medicinal pain reduction techniques appropriate to the PSW working with a client receiving palliative support. It will include diversion techniques, comfort measures, supporting nutrition to reduce discomfort as well as pain monitoring and other techniques.

This workshop will help your staff:

• develop skill in diversionary techniques such as massage, music and other approaches that may reduce client discomfort
• gain physical care techniques that may reduce client discomfort
• understand pain monitoring and the role the support worker may play

This workshop is typically offered as a 3-hour session but if you prefer a longer or shorter duration, it can be customized to fit your organization's specific requirements.

For more information, please contact us at info@capacitybuilders.ca.

The last stages of life are different when a person has dementia. Cognitive and physical changes in the last stages make it difficult for the person to share what they are experiencing—and make it difficult for PSWs to respond. This workshop will highlight common symptoms people experience, how they may present and how PSWs might best respond to the needs identified. We will also discuss the ethical and support challenges when providing support to the dying client with dementia.

This session will help your staff:

• identify and discuss the ways in which late stage dementia impacts the dying process (swallowing impairment, loss of verbal communication, etc.)
• describe observation and assessment approaches to identify the changes a particular client may have
• discuss best practice approaches to supporting the client
• discuss the ethical issues raised in providing support to clients

This workshop is typically offered as a 3-hour session but if you prefer a longer or shorter duration, it can be customized to fit your organization's specific requirements.

For more information, please contact us at info@capacitybuilders.ca.

Supporting people with late and end-stage illness can be very challenging. This practical and interactive workshop will help PSWs build their skills and confidence to communicate with clients and families during difficult circumstances. 

This session will help your staff:

• offer both verbal and non-verbal support
• respond appropriately when asked difficult or challenging questions
• learn phrases that will offer comfort to most people, and phrases to avoid

This workshop is typically offered as a 3-hour session but if you prefer a longer or shorter duration, it can be customized to fit your organization's specific requirements.

For more information, please contact us at info@capacitybuilders.ca.