Home Hospice Association
Community Workshops & Presentations
Are you an organization or community group interested in improving access to quality compassionate end-of-life care? We’re happy to arrange a presentation or workshop (online or, if possible, in-person) on any of the topics below, and can even tailor sessions to the interests and needs of your group.
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How to Talk with Kids about Dying, Death & Grief
Discussing death with children and young adults can be challenging and many tend to avoid the conversations altogether. But death, just like birth, is a natural part of our lives. As parents, guardians, and caregivers, it is our responsibility to ensure young people know it’s okay to talk about dying and death, and to learn healthy ways of coping with grief.
By becoming more educated around these topics, we can build our capacity to support young people before and when death occurs. In this 2-hour workshop for adults, we explore different developmental stages and various strategies and techniques for how to both listen and talk with young people about dying, death and grief.
Are these appropriate conversations for young people? Absolutely! In fact, their mental health might depend on it.
Death Doulas & the Caregiving Role
We often get asked what a Death Doula “actually” does. As the awareness of Death Doulas grows, and as the vital contributions of these caregivers is increasingly recognized within palliative care communities, it’s important that the role of a Death Doula in supporting the dying and their loved ones is properly understood.
This 1.5-hour presentation provides answers to frequently asked questions about Death Doulas, including:
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How necessary is it to have a Death Doula on an already robust palliative care team?
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Who are a Death Doula’s clients and why?
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When does a Death Doula typically join a caregiving team, and when is the ideal time for them to join?
We explain how Death Doulas can contribute to professional, volunteer and familial teams helping someone die well, using concrete examples gained from our years of experience training and working with Death Doulas, as well as mobilizing Death Doula care in order to increase access to compassionate end-of-life support across Canada.
HHA Death Cafe
Would you like to host a Death Café for the members of your organization? Our Death Cafés build on the international social movement of Death Cafés that emerged in the UK in 2010. Leading the national community in the facilitation of Death Cafés, HHA is committed to this important community outreach.
By hosting a Death Café at your organization, you’re creating a space in which members of your organization or community can talk about and explore their feelings around dying and death, and how these topics impact them in their lives. Bringing people together in this way can also help extend this dialogue to friends, families, and wider communities.
We are happy to facilitate an Open Death Café for your organization, or if you operate within a specific community, we can also bring one of our community-specific Death Cafés to your group. Learn more about these on our Death Café page.
Making Your Wishes Known: An Advance Care Planning Workshop
In this 1.5-hour workshop, we'll guide you through the process of ensuring that your wishes are known and respected, even if you can't speak for yourself. Advance Care Planning empowers you to take control of your medical care and provides invaluable guidance to your loved ones and healthcare providers during difficult times. We'll explore the importance of documenting your healthcare preferences, including your desires for medical treatment, end-of-life care, and quality of life considerations.
Remember, it's never too early to start thinking about Advance Care Planning. By proactively making your wishes known, you can enjoy peace of mind, knowing that your healthcare decisions will be respected and honoured in the future.
Mapping Your Legacy Workshop: How to Craft a Lasting Impact
Join us for this 1.5-hour workshop on legacy planning, where we'll guide you through the thoughtful process of crafting your legacy beyond financial matters. Legacy planning is a deeply personal journey that encompasses various facets of how you want to be remembered and what you aim to pass on to future generations.
In this workshop, we'll explore how to document your personal values, create meaningful memories or letters, and make decisions regarding inheritance and charitable donations. Legacy planning provides peace of mind, knowing that your loved ones and the causes you care about will be taken care of according to your wishes. Beyond mere assets, it allows you to leave a positive and enduring impact on the world.
Living Well, Planning Well: A Guide to Quality of Life at the End of Life
This 1.5-hour workshop is designed to empower you to make informed decisions and ensure that you have everything you need for a happy and fulfilling journey, especially as you approach the end of life.
Quality of life planning involves a holistic approach to well-being, focusing on identifying personal goals, building strong support networks, and engaging in activities that bring joy and satisfaction. It's about proactively shaping your life to align with your values and aspirations.
At this workshop, we'll guide you through the essential steps of quality-of-life planning, providing you with practical tools and strategies to make informed choices. From articulating your personal goals to exploring avenues for building meaningful connections, we'll cover all aspects of living well and planning along the way. We’ll also delve into the crucial area of end-of-life planning, offering insights and guidance on how to approach this process with thoughtfulness and clarity. Planning for the end of life involves careful consideration of your preferences and desires, ensuring that your wishes are honoured and your loved ones are supported.
Talking MAiD: Normalizing Conversation about Medically Assisted Dying
This 1.5-hour presentation/workshop is offered as a part of our Diana Pathway program, which was inspired by Diana, the first client HHA supported when seeking MAiD.
We aim to create a safe environment for professionals, students in human rights and social justice studies, or members of a social group to navigate the myriad perceptions about MAiD and to understand the history and facts of this provision in Canada. We dispel myths, such as “I am legally obligated to attend a MAiD Death” and answer questions, such as “Would my life insurance be affected if I were to have MAiD?”, with the ultimate goal of normalizing conversation on this topic.
Talking About Death Won’t Kill You
If talking about something resulted in that thing actually happening, then we would all be talking about winning the lottery! The fact is, talking about death won’t kill you just like talking about winning the lottery won’t get you any closer to cashing in those millions.
In this interactive and engaging 1.5-hour presentation, we discuss how facing our mortality is an important step in living a full and happy life, and how preparing for death and developing a level of comfort with talking about dying can help all of us, including our families and communities.
Throughout the presentation, you’ll discover why Home Hospice Association places so much importance on the need to normalize death and learn the unique ways that our organization approaches working with people who are facing death.
Exploring Grief: Theoretical Perspectives
Digging into the complexities of grief from a theoretical standpoint is a crucial first step in understanding our own and other people’s grief journeys. In this 1.5-hour presentation, we'll delve into the intricate landscape of grief education, exploring various theories that have shaped common understandings of grief over the years, including some widely recognized stages, steps, and rules for grieving. By examining these theories closely, we'll gain insights into the diverse perspectives that exist regarding the grieving process.
However, beyond simply learning about theoretical frameworks, our goal is to foster a deeper understanding of the reality of grief, namely that each individual's grief journey is unique, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to grieving. Instead of adhering to prescribed notions of how grief "should" be experienced, we'll emphasize the importance of allowing ourselves to grieve authentically, according to the guidance of our own hearts, minds, and bodies.
Embracing Grief: Understanding Grief in Your Life
In this interactive 1.5-hour workshop, we’ll build upon the foundational concepts and insights explored in our "Exploring Grief: Theoretical Perspectives” presentation.
We’ll go deeper into the multifaceted nature of grief, focusing on how we can embrace and accept the presence of grief in our lives. Drawing on various theories of grief, we'll reflect on the diverse types of grief we may encounter and explore the nuances between grieving and mourning.
Through meaningful discussions, reflective exercises, and compassionate support, we'll gain a deeper understanding of the ways in which our lives are forever changed by the losses we experience, and how we can honour and embrace the profound impact of grief on our lives.
When Labour Leads to Loss: A Workshop for Funeral Professionals
This comprehensive 2-hour workshop is designed to equip funeral professionals with the necessary skills and knowledge to confidently support individuals and families navigating infant and pregnancy loss.
In this workshop, participants will:
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Acknowledge the profound significance and impact of infant and pregnancy loss on both the families they serve and themselves as professionals providing support.
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Learn effective strategies for navigating complex feelings of grief and handling triggering events, with the aim of minimizing trauma and promoting healthy grieving processes for all involved.
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Acquire practical tools and considerations for facilitating funeral arrangements, receiving the infant into their care, and creating meaningful memorializing opportunities.
Join us as we come together to enhance our ability to provide compassionate care and support for people experiencing such devastating loss.
Planning with Purpose: Advance Care Planning for Parents of Children with Disabilities
Are you worried about what will happen at the end of your child's life if you're not there to make decisions or arrangements? Join us for a specialized workshop tailored for parents, guardians, agencies, caregivers, and advocates of children with disabilities.
In this 2-hour workshop, we'll navigate through the complex terrain of advance care planning for children with disabilities, providing you with invaluable guidance and support. Together, we'll explore the essential steps you can take now to plan for your child's end-of-life care, offering you peace of mind and ensuring your child's well-being when you're no longer there to advocate for them.
Throughout the workshop, we'll cover crucial topics such as end-of-life decisions related to medical preferences and interventions, comfort measures, and after-death care for your adult child. We'll also address the critical issue of choosing and appointing a guardian for your adult child, providing you with practical insights and considerations. Additionally, you'll gain practical tools and knowledge on how to create your child's advance care plan, including evaluating your own preferences, values, and beliefs, and effectively communicating both your and your child's wishes to family members and assigned guardian(s).
Join us as we navigate this important topic together, empowering you to make informed decisions and ensure the well-being of your child both now and in the future.
As a nonprofit Registered Canadian Charity with a mission to make compassionate end-of-life care and comprehensive death education accessible to all, costs for our community workshops and presentations operate on a case-by-case basis. Please reach out to us to discuss your specific needs and financial circumstances.
We are incredibly grateful for donations however big or small, and are always looking for fundraising partners to help us spread awareness of our work and raise the funds we need to be able to offer accessible "sliding-scale" services and programming.
With our "Build Your Own Workshop Series" option, you have the freedom to tailor our death education programming to the unique needs and interests of your agency or community.
With our extensive workshop and presentation library at your fingertips, you can choose from a diverse range of topics, including grief support, advance care planning, legacy planning, talking with kids about death, and more.
Whether you're seeking to deepen your understanding of specific aspects of dying and death or looking to address the comprehensive needs of your audience, our customizable series allows you to curate a program that aligns perfectly with your goals and objectives.
Select any number of workshops and presentations from our library, and we'll work closely with you to create a bespoke program that meets your needs, fosters constructive discussions and learning experiences, and makes a meaningful impact.
HHA's Build Your Own Workshop Series:
Customized Learning with Your Partner in Death Education
Upcoming Events
We offer regular workshops, presentations, death cafes and other events both online and out in the community. Check our events page to see what’s happening!