Palliative Care

How to Support Hospice or Palliative Care Initiatives

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See the ideas generated from the April 2025 discussion on So How Does Your Council Plan 12 Hours of Prayer for Palliative Care?

At the CWL 96^th Annual Calgary Diocesan Convention, held at the Badlands Community Facility in Drumheller, Alberta from May 4, 5 & 6, 2018, over 150 members responded to two questions on supporting palliative care.  The responses are varied and are important to share with all CWL members in the Diocese of Calgary.  Some of these ideas presented are already being implemented by a council and some are planned for the future.   All of our councils could consider attempting one or two, as we use this list to challenge ourselves and our councils. They are numbered, not to rank importance, but to make it easy for you to share your thoughts with others.

WAYS MY COUNCIL COULD SUPPORT HOSPICE PALLIATIVE CARE INITIATIVES IN OUR COMMUNITY:

1. Prayer service for palliative persons.
2. Participate on pastoral care team.
3. Raise funds for palliative care.
4. Take turns visiting.
5. Offer a cross for a palliative care room.
6. Advocate for mental health support for family.
7. Donate comfort items.
8. Donate personal items.
9. Take sacraments to hospice.
10. Offer to pray with a person when visiting.
11. Pray as a council for palliative care.
12. Visit and share a meal with person (if possible).
13. Bring in a pet (if possible).
14. Take person outside – walk or wheel around.
15. Volunteer as a palliative care worker.
16. Consider an annual donation to palliative care.
17. Support the CWL initiative to lobby the government for better and more facilities for palliative care – write letters, send cards, participate in “12 hours of prayer for palliative care”.
18. Provide spiritual support to a person – rosary, prayer cards, music, Divine Mercy Chaplet.
19. Participate if the hospice in your community hosts an event for the public.
20. Participate in education about palliative care (speakers, discussions, etc.) in your council, church and community
21. Provide “treats” or cards of encouragement for staff of palliative care facilities, share appreciation.
22. Sponsor a Mass of thanksgiving for those who serve in palliative care whether in a facility or in their homes.
23. Make lap quilts or prayer shawls.
24. Focus on those in care without family in the area.
25. In 2’s or 3’s visit a palliative care centre.
26. As a council, do a tour of a hospice (if possible).
27. As a Council, make up a list of resources (211 can help) and have this list available for families with someone in palliative care or caregivers.
28. We can publicly make our feelings as a large organization known.
29. Speak about palliative care to family, friends, acquaintances, whenever the topic comes up. Don’t be afraid to speak up.
30. Our Council makes “worry dolls” for Agape Hospice. Those are given to children as they visit either a parent or grandparent who is a patient.

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Paliative Care

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The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition offers an 80-minute DVD documentary entitled Fatal Flaws: Legalizing Assisted Death as well as The Euthanasia Deception, a 52-minute DVD documentary featuring powerful testimonies from Belgium, Canada and beyond of lives devastated by the false ideology of “mercy killing”. Brochures offered for purchase are Protecting People From Euthanasia & Assisted Suicide and Fatal Flaws. Visit epcc.ca for more information or to order copies.

A toolkit for Palliative Care

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In November 2021, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) launched Horizons of Hope: A Toolkit for Catholic Parishes on Palliative Care. The launch marked the culmination of a four-year process whereby the CCCB partnered with experts from Pallium Canada, Dominican University College, the Canadian Catholic Bioethics Institute, Catholic Health Alliance of Canada, and the Congregation of the Sisters Saint Joseph in Canada. This partnership ensured the development of a high-level resource that will benefit Catholic parishioners eager to grow in their understanding of palliative care and Church teaching on end-of-life questions. Promo Video - English | French

This toolkit seeks to offer support and formation for parishioners with faith communities to assist them when faced with the illness and death of loved ones, particularly through the lens of palliative care, faith and Compassionate Communities. 

The toolkit is available in French and English. Key features include a detailed facilitator's guide, four modules organized in a step-by-step learning process, videos, and take-home resources. The entire toolkit is available on the CCCB website at https://www.cccb.ca/faith-moral-issues/suffering-and-end-of-life/horizons-of-hope-a-toolkit-for-catholic-parishes-on-palliative-care.