Psychosocial Care of the Dying and Bereaved Course  
   

Our fall course is being held September 15-19, 2008 in Victoria. Contact Education Services at (250) 370-8283 to find out more about this one-week course or print the fall 2008 brochure. Our spring course will be held  February 16-20, 2009.

This introductory one-week course presents a psychosocial perspective on hospice/palliative care including self care and team issues, the impact of disease transitions and holistic care, counselling and bereavement support. Victoria Hospice Society developed this course and has offered it since 1996. The course is instructed by the Victoria Hospice psychosocial team along with other professionals from their team and allied agencies.

This program meets the accreditation criteria of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and is accredited for 28 hours MAINPRO-M1 credits.  (Our Palliative Care: Medical Intensive Course is accredited for 27.5 hours MAINPRO-M1 credits).  In addition, course graduates can earn valuable MAINPRO-C study credits by conducting an evidence-based practice reflection exercise after the course.

The Psychosocial Care of the Dying and Bereaved Course     is for:

* counsellors and social workers in acute, geriatric or    community care;                                                           * hospice/palliative care physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals                                                          * hospice bereavement coordinators or program coordinators                                                                  * counsellors, social workers and spiritual care providers who are new to hospice palliative care

Participants explore issues from both personal and professional perspectives. The course includes opportunities for reflection, experiential activities and small group discussions.

Course Goals:

  • To increase awareness and sensitivity to personal learning and issues around death, dying and bereavement
  • To increase understanding of theory and interventions related to psychosocial care of the dying and bereaved
  • To provide opportunities for participants to integrate their personal and professional experience and build practical skills
  • To explore the role of social work and counselling in palliative care
  • To address self care, team, spiritual and cultural issues
  • To offer opportunities to network with professionals with similar interests
General Content:
  • Philosophy and principles of care and ethics
  • Interdisciplinary team
  • Spiritual and cultural considerations
  • Psychosocial care:
    • continuum of care
    • grief and loss
    • patient and family issues
    • special populations
  • Counselling interventions:
    • transitions
    • bereavement
    • relationship management
    • children
    • special topics including sexuality, suffering, life review
  • Self-reflection and self-care

Special Interest Content:

In addition to the general program, participants will choose an area of special interest for a half day of more focused study.
  • Stream #1:  Pre-death Care
    • Communication and support issues
    • Death-related issues and interventions
  • Stream #2:  Bereavement Follow-up
    • Bereavement Risk Assessment
    • Grieving styles
    • Difficult grief and specific loss issues

Course Fee:

The fee for the course is $700. This includes registration, a copy of the textbook Transitions in Dying & Bereavement: A Psychosocial Guide for Hospice and Palliative Care, course reading materials, nutrition breaks, and lunch on Monday and Friday.  You can also order additional copies of this textbook.

Enroll early as participant numbers are limited.

For more information about this course, print the fall 2008 brochure or contact Education Services at (250) 370-8283.