Design Considerations for the Development and Implementation of a Medical Respite for Older Adults Experiencing Homelessness in Metro Vancouver.

Background: Older persons with lived or living experience of homelessness (PWLEs) often live with complex physical and/or mental health conditions which are challenged by poor access to health services, especially primary care. To fill the gap in the continuum of care following hospital discharge for PWLEs, medical respite provides health and shelter support for PWLEs who do not have acute care needs that qualify for a stay in a hospital bed, yet are too sick or frail to recover on the streets or in a traditional shelter.

Objective: This study examines how a medical respite could be designed for older PWLEs in Metro Vancouver, BC.

Health supports needed for homeless persons transitioning from hospitals.

Being homeless has a negative effect on health and the health needs of individuals experiencing homelessness are complex and challenging to address. As a result of limited access to and use of primary healthcare, the main point of entry into the healthcare system for individuals experiencing homelessness is often hospitals and emergency departments. Persons experiencing homelessness are commonly discharged from hospital settings to locations that do not support recovery or access to follow-up care (e.

Health social work in Canada: Five trends worth noting.

Highlighting a strong human rights and social justice orientation underlying health social work in Canada, this paper describes recent contributions of Canadian health social work practitioners and scholars to five areas identified by Auslander (2001) in a delphi study of health social work in its first century. Five current 'trends' are discussed which correspond with Auslander's themes of professional legitimacy and scope, social causation, dissemination of knowledge, interventions, and cultural appropriateness. These trends are: 1) defining the scope of health social work practice; 2) addressing the social determinants of health; 3) promoting evidence-based practice in health social work; 4) delivering client and family-centered care; and 5) implementing cultural safety and trauma-informed practice.

Cultural conceptualizations of hospice palliative care: more similarities than differences.

The role of culture is significant in hospice palliative care (HPC). While mainstream HPC has been well described in many Western countries, there is no conceptual clarity regarding the meaning of HPC among minority cultures and ethnicities. In this article we describe and critically appraise the findings of a literature synthesis of 15 qualitative studies regarding the conceptualization of HPC among culturally diverse populations.

Creating social work competencies for practice in hospice palliative care.

Social workers play an important role in the delivery of Hospice Palliative Care in many diverse settings. The profession brings a unique perspective to end-of-life care that reflects and supports the holistic philosophy of Hospice Palliative Care. Despite the prominent and longstanding position of social work in this area, the role and functions of social workers had not been clearly defined.

Research priorities in pediatric palliative care: a Delphi study.

Background: Pediatric palliative care is increasingly recognized to be a specialized type of care requiring specific skills and knowledge, yet, as found in several countries, there is little available research evidence on which to base care.

Objectives: The goal of the project was to achieve consensus among palliative care practitioners and researchers regarding the identification of pertinent lines of research.

Method: A Delphi technique was used with an interdisciplinary panel (n = 14-16) of researchers and frontline clinicians in pediatric palliative care in Canada.