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For over a decade, I have worked as a nurse with a specialization in palliative care.  I support caregivers to provide care to elders who are near the end of their life.  My passion is to teach caregivers how to clearly identify and successfully navigate the physical, emotional + mental changes that occur in the last years of life. My expertise is focused on helping caregivers develop communication skills + enhance self-awareness so that they are better able to be effective at caring for others without sacrificing themselves
I believe that having clear, honest, compassionate conversations about death allows
people to live deeply in ways that are uniquely meaningful until they die.

EDUCATION + QUALIFICATIONS + EXPERIENCE

For more details of my education, qualification & experience I invite you to check out my Linked In profile.
Thank you!

INTERESTS

  • Hospice Palliative Care
  • Elders
  • Dementia Care
  • Supporting families and staff working with those at end of life
  • Grief and loss
  • Research regarding quality palliative care in long term care settings
  • Holistic, empowered, participatory approaches to healing and learning
  • Intergenerational and multi-cultural perspectives 
  • Adult education
  • Death rituals and passages according to different religions and cultures
  • Quantum physics
  • Bringing Eastern, traditional healing wisdom with Western allopathic medicine approaches
  • Energy and vibrational medicine
  • Gross National Happiness (GNH) Index & its impact on health of individuals and societies
  • Healing societies and its relation to population health
  • Servant leadership

CREATIVE WORK ASPIRATIONS

Priorities:
  • Write & illustrate a cheeky, tender companion workbook aimed at engaging audiences reflect, do activities and have conversations to expand awareness of death and appreciation of life                                                            (completed November 2014, currently researching publishing strategies)
  • Creating dynamic, engaging, informative and inspiring educational modules for patients, families and staff in the following topics:                                                                   (talks + workshops in planning stage, to be offered Autumn 2015)
  • How to Talk About Death + Dying 
  • What is a Palliative Approach to Care?
  • Advanced Care Planning 101
  • Do Your Best Living Even While You Are Dying
  • How to Prepare for the Death of a Loved One
More:
  • Participating in creating rituals and meaningful ceremonies to assist with life transitions
  • Make A Wish Foundation for adults and older adults 
  • Artistic direction for public festivals celebrating death
  • Event planning for living wakes, celebrations of life, funerals 
  • Collaborating with like-minded others locally and internationally
  • Projects that have a special focus on soliciting the stories of others and increasing inter-generational, inter-cultural dialogue

HOW DID I GET HERE?

Read a tiny bit about the life experience that leads to an almost decade long career in hospice palliative care.
Composed March 2013, Revised October 2014

Community Work

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Death Cafe Vancouver, April 2013:  Co-Host with Ross Waddell (Full Article)
At a Death Cafe people drink tea, eat cake and discuss death. Our aim is to increase awareness of death to help people make the most of their (finite) lives. - See more at: http://deathcafe.com
United Way Better At Home Provincial Meet-Up, November 2017:  Presenter (Workshop)
Presenter - "Talking About Death and Dying: Self-Care Tools + Practices for Grief, Loss and Dealing with Dying"
Annual Community Forum, January 2017 + 2018 :  
​Panelist + Presenter (Event Link)
Panelist on the topics of Embracing Cultural Diversity in the End of Life Journey and What Is Palliative Care?
Presenter - 4 Question Foundation for Meaningful Conversations, Especially for Goals of Care + Care Planning conversations