Individuals and Families

  • Equity of Access to Palliative Care: A Scoping Review

    There are many inequities within palliative care, hospice care, and end-of-life care. The scoping review by Sítima, Galhardo-Branco, and Reis-Pina (2024) examines these inequities for people with chronic, progressive, life-threatening, or limiting diseases. The review explored the primary contributors, key barriers to achieving equitable access, and essential recommendations to achieve Continue reading →

  • Introducing HPCO’s New Mount Pleasant Group Equity in Action Award

    Hospice Palliative Care Ontario, with the support of Mount Pleasant Group, is proud to announce the creation of the Mount Pleasant Group Equity in Action Award. This award acknowledges initiatives that improve access to hospice palliative care in equity-deserving communities across Ontario. “We are thrilled to introduce the Mount Pleasant Continue reading →

  • National Grief and Bereavement Day and Children’s Grief Awareness Day 2024

    Grief is a universal experience that impacts everyone differently. For many, the loss of a loved one can lead to feelings of isolation, confusion and heartache. Recognizing this, November is a month to promote understanding, provide support and encourage open conversations about loss through National Grief and Bereavement Day on Continue reading →

  • Self-care Towards the End of Life: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis on Access, Quality and Cost

    According to the World Health Organization, self-care is the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider. Self-care at end of life is under-researched. Existing studies on self-care are often Continue reading →

  • Experiences and Access of Palliative and End of Life Care for Older People from Minority Ethnic Groups: A Scoping Review

    There are many inequities and barriers that exist in palliative care and end of life care for minority ethnic groups such as reported poorer quality of care and access to pain management. But, it is unclear how these barriers and inequalities differ across minority ethnic groups in different countries, and Continue reading →

  • ‘Just a Simple Sausage Sandwich’: The Significance of Sensory Care Practices and Hidden Carers in the Hospice

    Dying and suffering are considered relational experiences within sociology and these experiences are rooted in social relations as well as wider social and cultural structures. Settings of end-of-life care are filled with many sensory and emotional engagements that is often hared between persons in a multidirectional care entanglement. Richardson (2024) Continue reading →

  • Interventions and Models of Palliative and End of Life Care for Homeless Adults

    Adults experiencing homelessness face significant symptom burdens and inequalities due to life-limiting illnesses and loss of rootedness. Lack of adapted palliative and end-of-life care worsens their illness and quality of life. Coverdale and colleagues (2024) conducted a review to identify interventions and models of care used to address the palliative Continue reading →

  • Private Sector Business Interactions with Bereaved People

    Bereaved individuals often need to undertake several practical or administrative tasks, such as transferring household bills to the name of the remaining spouse, following the death of a loved one. Research suggests that 61% of bereaved adults had difficulties with these tasks. Crooks and colleagues (2024) sought to explore the Continue reading →

  • HPCO Accreditation Program open to hospices outside of Ontario – Congratulations to Prince George Hospice Palliative Care Society!

    Hospice Palliative Care Ontario is thrilled to announce that Prince George Hospice Palliative Care Society achieved HPCO Accreditation for their Hospice Residence! This marks the first time a non-Ontario hospice has received accreditation. “Prince George Hospice Palliative Care Society can assure our communities that Accreditation serves as an indicator of commitment Continue reading →

  • Virtual Reality Videos for Symptom Management in Hospice and Palliative Care

    Virtual reality (VR) is a simulation of reality using a high-end user-computer interface that allows real-time simulation and interactions through multiple sensorial channels creating an illusion that the environment exists. VR is increasingly being used in health care settings, including hospice and palliative care with positive effects on pain management. Continue reading →