Palliative care relieves the physical symptoms and supports the psychosocial needs of people with a serious illness. The goal is to help people live as well as possible, this is the same as social workers goals. Palliative care can be delivered by generalists anywhere in the healthcare system. Social workers are doing palliative care when they improve quality of life, provide interventions, identify unmet needs, anticipate, and support declining function and social needs. Social workers help people maintain dignity and comfort while they navigate their serious illness. Our presentation aims to empower and equip social workers to have knowledge, resources and education needed to deliver palliative care with their clients.
Presenters:
Sheila Killoran: is the education lead for the Covenant Health Palliative institute. She has worked in Palliative care for the past 18 years, primarily as a music therapist for the tertiary palliative care unit at the Grey Nuns community hospital in Edmonton, Alberta . She holds a master’s in creative art therapies with a special interest in imagery and grief work at end of life. As an educator, Sheila teaches at the University of Alberta, St Steven’s College, and the university of Saskatchewan.
Danica Hans: is the education lead for the Covenant Health Palliative Institute. Danica has experience as a sessional instructor at the University of Alberta Faculty of Nursing and as a registered nurse and clinical nurse educator on the Tertiary Palliative Care unit in Edmonton, Alberta.
