The National Initiative for the Care of the Elderly’s End-of-Life Issues Theme Team, the Institute for Life Course and Aging (ILCA) at the University of Toronto, and Pallium Canada hosted the annual World Hospice and Palliative Care Day Special Lecture online on October 29, 2020.
Organized in connection with World Hospice and Palliative Care Day(WHPCD) as a unified day of action, the event highlighted the importance of the international hospice and palliative care movements with the aim of raising awareness and understanding toward the various medical, social, practical, and spiritual needs of people living with a life-limiting illness and their families/friends also during the COVID-19 pandemic. WHPCD is organized by a committee of the Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance (WHPCA) as a network of hospice and palliative care national and regional organizations that support the development of the movements across the globe.
Christopher A. Klinger, PhD of NICE and Pallium Canada opened the virtual session and welcomed this year’s distinguished speakers on behalf of the host organizations and reminded the audience of the opportunities for the sectors as the country moves toward a Framework on Palliative Care.
Esme Fuller-Thomson, PhD — Director of the ILCA — provided a brief overview on the organization and its Collaborative Specialization in Aging, Palliative and Supportive Care Across the Life Course and further educational opportunities in the field.
Dr. Sandy Buchman — Freeman Family Chair in Palliative Medicine at North York General Hospital and Past President, Canadian Medical Association (CMA) — focused his keynote address on the role of hospice and palliative care during times of pandemic, demonstrating their essential role as health care components during any humanitarian health crisis. Further discussion of current Framework activities, advance care planning (ACP) initiatives and suggestions from the Quality End-of-Life Care Coalition of Canada’s (QELCCC) Blueprint for Action2020-2025brought the theme of the Day “My Care – My Comfort” to full circle.
On behalf of the host organizations, Jeffrey B. Moat, CM — Chief Executive Officer of Pallium Canada —presented Dr. Buchman with the Certificate of Recognition:
A webcast of the Special Lecture is available for free via Pallium Canada’s YouTube channel here.
Lecture Date: October 29, 2020
Authors: Christopher A. Klinger, PhD* and Raza M. Mirza, PhD**
* National Initiative for the Care of the Elderly (NICE) and Pallium Canada
** National Initiative for the Care of the Elderly (NICE) and Institute for Life Course and Aging, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto