Hospice and Palliative Care
Caregivers and Care Practitioners’ Knowledge of Hospice and Palliative Care
Project Status:In progress
Knowledge User(s)
Patient and Public Partner
Project Trainee(s)
Lindsay DeGraaf
Collaborator(s)
Katie Hennessy
Funding Source(s)
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) through the Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) Evidence Alliance
Project Objectives
To identify communication networks and pathways that exist to increase knowledge of hospice and palliative care services for caregivers and care practitioners, as well as the associated barriers to their access and use.
Research Approach
Scoping Review
Project Lead(s)
Mary-Anne Parker
Mary-Anne Parker is an End-of-Life care navigator and educator whose work and learning have evolved into critically examining end of life care in Canada. As Administrative & Development Coordinator for the SHPCA and practicing End-of-Life Doula, she is involved in advocacy and research which she hopes will add to the recognition that meaningful end-of-life care is crucial to both client and family well-being. Her Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies applied thesis project involved an in-depth philosophical and phenomenological study of the Canadian death doula role within the long-term care context. Before attending studies at AU and becoming a Death Doula, she has enjoyed careers in marketing communications, fundraising, and writing.
She resides in Saskatoon with 4 generations and a plethora of unfinished art projects.
Diane Sawchuck
Dr. Diane Sawchuck is a researcher with a PhD (Nursing, UBC) with a focus on population health, mixed methods research and KT implementation. She spent three years (2010-2013) as operations director for five international projects (co-PI, one project) related to global maternal health (Gates Foundation funded), with 50 percent of her time spent in South Asia and Africa. She learned approaches and skills to facilitate research and inquiry across cultures, as well as complex project management skills.
For the past six years with Island Health, she has been co-leading Indigenous-specific research and quality improvement projects. These include “Far Too Many Preterm Births in Cowichan Tribes: Generating Knowledge to Inform Service Delivery and Strengthen Motherhood Journeys” (Vancouver Foundation 2018-2021; $320,000, Scientific Advisor) and “Trauma Informed Emergency Care for Aboriginal Seniors at West Coast General Hospital” (MSFHR 2016-2017; $20,000, Collaborator).
Within Island Health, Sawchuck is a member of the Indigenous-Specific Anti-Racism Strategic Planning Committee and leads an evidence review to inform cultural safety training and anti-racism policies, guidelines and practices.
Project Outputs
In Progress