Podcast
Episodes
Anat Baron is a Los Angeles based tech founder and professional speaker. In this episode, Anat shares her story of supporting her mother through a diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer while living on the other side of the continent in the midst of a global pandemic. Anat reflects on the advantages and drawbacks of virtual care when trying to establish a relationship with the health care team and advocating for person-centered care.
In this episode, Mitchell Consky, a Toronto- based journalist and writer, shares the ups and downs, the joys and the struggles, of providing palliative care for his father, Harvey Consky, at home during the pandemic. These experiences inspired his book Home Safe: A Memoir Of End-of-life Care During Covid-19.
Advance care planning is a process by which individuals express their healthcare preferences, values and priorities for the future. Through Advance Care Planning, individuals may identify a legally appointed Substitute decision maker. A substitute decision maker, or SDM, acts on behalf of someone when they are no longer able to make decisions for themselves. The SDMs role is to make decisions that are aligned with that individual’s previously expressed wishes. In Ontario, when a patient legally appoints a SDM this is called a Power of Attorney for personal care.
Even when an Advance Care Plan is in place, Dr Maria Muraca learned that unforeseen circumstances can come up. Maria was the Power of Attorney for her father, Michele, who died one year ago of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Maria is a family physician, as well as an advocate and teacher of advance care planning. She is here to tell us about her personal experience with her father’s changing advance care plan and how that has shaped her discussions with patients and health care workers.
In Season 2, we spoke to Andrea Warnick, a registered psychotherapist and educator on the topic of grief in children. This season we wanted to share the story of the Gerardi family. Throughout her 3 years of cancer treatments, Kasia remained open and honest with her four daughters. When Kasia learned that her cancer had metastasized to her brain and that the end of her life was near, she and her husband Ricardo worked together to make family life memorable and prepare for her death. Kasia died in December 2019. Ricardo is here today to tell us about what grief has looked like for him and for his daughters.
The COVID-19 pandemic has hit everyone hard, but those living in long-term care facilities have faced unprecedented circumstances. Long-term care residents were disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 in terms of illness and death. As cases multiplied, residents were isolated from the outside world. Stacey Greenberg is here today to tell us about her father who lived with Multiple Sclerosis in a long-term care facility since 2014. During the pandemic, Stacey had limited contact with her father and he was sadly isolated from his loved ones in his final days due to COVID-19 visitor and caregiver restrictions. Although he did not die of COVID-19, there were significant changes that impacted his daily life.
When faced with serious illness, patients and caregivers take on new roles. Those who work in health care are in a unique position when becoming a caregiver for a loved one. Melodie cared for her parents in their final days. Her health care training as a nurse helped her to receive information from the doctors and pass it on to her family, but Melodie found it very emotionally difficult. Only dying a few months apart, Melodie felt a tremendous sense of emptiness. Her siblings kept close communication to help each other during the grieving period and Melodie allowed herself to rest. Looking back, Melodie really appreciated the health care providers shared encouragement and asked about their wellbeing.
Dori, Irene and Giovanna talk about the importance of checking in with the patient’s caregivers. The importance of finding balance to include both the patient and caregiver in conversation is discussed. The doctors are reminded that patients should give consent about what is shared with caregivers, even in situations where there is a language barrier. Melodie’s story brought up many personal feelings for the hosts caring for their own families – both the pressures and the privilege of having a medical education.
When caring for a loved one with serious illness, caregivers focus intensely on the patient. Without checking in on the caregiver, the health care team may be overlooking the importance this has. Laurelea was the caregiver for her husband Steve. As Steve was diagnosed with terminal kidney cancer, he had to stop taking antidepressants to start treatment of his disease. Laurelea describes the mental darkness that Steve experienced, and how it was difficult for her to find the support needed. Since the death of her husband, Laurelea continues to advocate for system changes to provide psychosocial support for patients and caregivers.
Dori, Giovanna and Irene describe practical solutions for treating the patient as a whole person and acknowledging the caregiver. The doctors talk about how treatment of disease differs from providing good care; the consideration of psychological, social, emotional and spiritual conditions. The hosts discuss how the vocabulary and imagery of “fighting” can make a patient feel responsible for the outcome of their illness.
Susan shares her experience of taking care of her Dad as his cancer progressed. She learned the strong will he had. He was a person who didn’t complain, and appreciated the little things in his final days. In hindsight, Susan shares what was helpful for her as a caregiver.
Irene, Dori and Giovanna, have a conversation about paying attention to non-verbal cues of a patient and the difficulty when a person doesn’t open up. The doctors talk about their own experiences with caregiving for long-term illness and how that shapes their healthcare practice.
On their 22nd wedding anniversary, Sholom discusses the palliative care of his late wife, Erminia. Erminia made the graceful decision to transition to end of life care - motivated by spirituality. Sholom appreciates the care for his wife and talks about his gratitude practices.
Giovanna, Dori and Irene discuss whether empathy can be taught and how it can enhance therapy. Gratitude is talked about as a response to grief, and as a recognition for the lessons learned. The three doctors have a conversation about the lasting impact patients have when a personal connection is made.
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