Learn about palliative care

Understanding Palliative Care is a short interactive module to help you learn more about what palliative care is and the support it offers.

As you go through the module you will hear from Albertans who have personally benefitted from palliative care and learn how palliative care professionals and community members can help relieve the symptoms and stress of living with a serious illness.

How to use this module

1. Complete the module to deepen your understanding of palliative care.
2. Share it with those in your social network who might be interested. If your organization provides support to people who are living with a serious illness or their caregivers, consider using Understanding Palliative Care for employee or volunteer training or professional development.
3. Download the companion handout for a summary of the module's key messages.

Contact us to learn more.

How this module was created

Understanding Palliative Care was inspired by a public education module created by the All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care and developed in consultation with a working group of members from across Alberta.

For more information on the background to and creation of this module, please read our article "A Positive Public Message: Introducing the Understanding Palliative Care e-Module".

PalliLearn is a series of short courses that equip people to be compassionate community members. The courses incorporate key research findings, practical ways to put these into action, links to local supports and ideas for continued learning.

PalliLearn was developed by Palliative Care South Australia and adapted for Alberta audiences in consultation with an expert working group.

What it covers

PalliLearn includes the following four courses:

1. Your Role in a Compassionate Community: Compassionate Communities are networks of support around people experiencing serious illness, death and grief. Gain information and ideas about how to nurture Compassionate Communities near you.
2. What is Palliative Care? Palliative care is more than you think. Learn what palliative care is and why it’s important in clear language that you can share with the people around you.
3. How to Have Conversations about Dying and Grief: Conversations about dying and grief are important but can be hard. This course provides practical tips on how to have caring and compassionate conversations on these topics with friends, family, colleagues and neighbours.
4. What Matters Most? Knowing what matters most helps us live well now and in the future. Learn how to identify and share what matters to you in your life and in your care as well as how to find out and support what matters to the people close to you.

Host or facilitate courses

PalliLearn courses are delivered by trained facilitators. Contact us if you're interested in training as a PalliLearn facilitator or if your organization or community group is interested in hosting sessions.

Already a PalliLearn facilitator? Access program materials with your facilitator password. Please contact us if you need a password.

Dying to Know: A monthly virtual education series from Hospice Calgary that includes practical information and self-care strategies for those who have serious illnesses or are providing care to someone who is.

Horizons of Hope: A Toolkit for Catholic Parishes on Palliative Care: An educational series from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops to improve understanding of palliative care and to nurture churches that are Compassionate Communities.

Introduction to Palliative and End-of-Life Care: An online micro-course from Modern Caregiving Solutions covering topics such as introductions to palliative care and advance care planning, “managing pain and discomfort” and “emotional and spiritual support.” Available in multiple languages.

Living My Culture: In this collection of short videos from Canadian Virtual Hospice, people from diverse cultures share their stories and wisdom about living with serious illness, end of life and grief to support others.

Roadshow: An educational workshop series from the Alberta Hospice Palliative Care Association to increase palliative care knowledge and skills, with options for in-person and virtual attendance.

The Waiting Room Revolution: A podcast to empower people to "unlock a better illness experience" by educating people about what to expect, ask and do when they face health crises.