Courses and Conferences

This two-day workshop will provide an overview of grief and loss inherent to palliative and end-of-life care. Living with – and dying from – a life-limiting illness is made up of multiple, accumulated losses: from the point of diagnosis, throughout an illness, when death becomes more imminent, and after death happens. Participants will learn about these losses through the lenses of the patient and family/caregiver, and will gain clinical practice guidance on how to provide psychosocial support to patients and families within the unique context of anticipated dying/death, including how to work with non-physical suffering. As palliative care includes support to families after death happens, an overview of bereavement support needs specific to the first year of bereavement – and clinical practice guidance on how to work with the newly bereaved – will also be provided. Clinical/case examples will be incorporated throughout, including opportunities for small and large group discussion. The impact of this work on the practitioner/clinician will also be discussed, including clinician grief. Note: This workshop focuses on social work practice with adults 18+ in the context of palliative and end-of-life care.