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 . 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. 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 .
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)
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.
The project was also fortunate to build upon a developmental action research and evaluation framework to move the project plan beyond specific deliverables to capitalize on “emerging opportunities” that presented themselves as the team engaged across various sectors.
In three years the project completed an environmental scan, worked collaboratively with key champions across sectors to initiate a wide variety of initiatives and established a strong foundation with a train the trainer series, modules, videos and established teams of ACP Volunteer Presenters to name a few .
I just think you have done a great job . I have seen Ministry funded initiatives that sort of took place behind closed doors and then a year later they say here you go. Right from the get go, you did it right, you said this is who I am, I want to work with you and meet with you and you did a great job getting buy in. I have seen a lot of initiatives come and go and you are leaving us with resources which helps with sustainability (Long Term Care Participant)