Manitoba 15
PALLIATIVE MANITOBA
"That could include choosing a health-
care proxy or a power of attorney,
depending on their situation."
Sandler says the Winnipeg Regional
Health Authority has a workbook available
on the web to help guide people. And it
can be found at Winnipeg Regional Health
Authority Advance Care Planning (https://
wrha.mb.ca/advance-care-planning).
The next step is communicating
decisions.
"Make sure everybody knows what the
plan is, who is doing what and how people
are going to enact that," he says.
It's important to get a plan on paper so
there is no ambiguity.
"Sometimes people will use a lawyer and
have plans notarized so that it's clear that
it's authorized by the person. Health-care
directives that you can find online can be
notarized as well."
A person outside the family can be a help
if family members are struggling with the
process. Palliative Manitoba has trained
volunteer supports.
"Sometimes you might have a person
that's getting support from us but the
spouse or the family is objecting to the
idea that the person is in palliative care,"
he says.
"Our volunteers are well trained in talking
with families and being a resource for
what the person might need in terms of
extra support."
People who are in the palliative care
program will refer individuals, he adds.
"A social worker or nurse refers them to
us and our volunteer co-ordinator sets up
a match," he says.
Part of Palliative Manitoba's role is to
challenge death denial by encouraging
those conversations, says Wayne Sandler:
"Let's talk about it. Let's plan for it. Let's
understand it, and that way we become a
healthier society."
Continued from page 14
Available supports and information can be found at:
Canadian Hospice Care Association: chpca.ca
Canadian Virtual Hospice: virtualhospice.ca
Winnipeg Regional Health Authority Advance Care Planning:
https://wrha.mb.ca/advance-care-planning/
Palliative Manitoba: palliativemanitoba.ca
Make sure everybody
knows what the plan is, who
is doing what and how people
are going to enact that."
— Wayne Sandler,
community outreach and education
co-ordinator at Palliative Manitoba
"
