Our History
Advance Care Planning
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Advance Care Planning Waterloo Wellington
In 2015, Hospice Waterloo Region partnered with Hospice Wellington to launch a 3 year project focused on Advance Care Planning and Health Care Consent. This project was known as the Advance Care Planning Education Program but was later branded Conversations Worth Having. With three dedicated staff and funding from the Ministry of Health, the project reached out to community and health care settings as critical sites for engagement and education. After establishing a steering committee of community leaders that represented health care providers, community professionals and the general public, the staff engaged individuals and groups across the community and health care sectors to raise awareness, build correct understanding and encourage Advance Care Planning conversations.
“Being part of this committee helped us to identify and begin to realize the strength and possibilities that exist when we choose to act in genuine partnership (healthcare and community) around issues that are of importance to all of us on a human and professional level.”
– Steering Committee member
Focusing on collaborative partnerships and stakeholder engagement the team identified champions including lawyers, financial planners, human resource professionals, the general public as well as providers in acute care, primary care, community and long-term care.
This was not a “health care only” approach but instead, demonstrated a momentum for change and the success that can be realized when a full system, population health approach is implemented. Over three years the team shared over 111,000 correct resources, conducted over 1100 engagement activities (including over 400 education sessions) and directly reached over 12,000 participants.
Program Reports
Below are links to various program reports and materials that can help you understand how this population health approach to ACP and Health Care Consent unfolded.
Program Highlights
Please find some key program highlights relevant to the history of the Advance Care Planning Education Program below, including:
KNOW Now
Taking a cue from an event in Sault Ste Marie, we collaborated with local artists from across Waterloo Region and Wellington County to create KNOW Now.
Vitalogue: The Newest Way to Learn About ACP
Vitalogue is an interactive e-learning experience like no other. This is a great e-learning module for staff across the healthcare system to learn about ACP.
ACP & The Electronic Medical Record
We have collaborated with a number of community partners to develop a tool that adds the Substitute Decision Maker question into the electronic medical record.
38 Reasons Why ACP Is Important
Ever wondered what others have to say about ACP? Thirty-eight leaders joined together to complete the sentence “Advance Care Planning is important because…”.
Clifford Celebrates National Advance Care Planning Day
Streamers & balloons adorned the Salem Room on April 15, 2016 for congregate dining at the Knox United Church in Clifford in celebration of National ACP Day.
Monthly Seniors Luncheon / Talk Emphasizes Advance Care Planning
Creating a plan for others to make life-altering medical decisions for you in the event of being unable to communicate them yourself is something everyone.
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Community Presentations
It can be difficult to understand how Advance Care Planning works in Ontario. Our Community Presentations can help answer these important questions.
Advance Care Planning: One on One Coaching
If you have specific questions about Advance Care Planning that you would like to discuss on a one-to-one basis, we can help.