Death Café

Free

Date: December 18, 2024
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 pm
Location: Education Centre
Admission: Free, Registration required

Why is it “morbid” to talk about something that happens to every single one of us? Not talking about death won’t make it easier to manage.

Join Kathlene Bartlett and Tracy Lavigne, Palliative Pain and Symptom Management Consultants, for an uplifting interactive adventure based on the works of the Death over Dinner creators.

A Death Café creates space for an open and relaxed conversation about death and dying and aims to shift the conversation around death from one of fear or avoidance to that of familiarity and comfort. Participants will sit around tables of 3-6 people for a confidential, group-directed discussion. Bring your experiences to share; bring your questions to ask. Share only what you are comfortable with—there is no pressure to tell the details of your personal story.

An article in Guelph Today about a past Death Café describes the mood of the event well:

Far from being morbid, bleak or despairing, the mood of the event was equal parts sorrowful, uplifting, and caring. The room, at times a din of laughter and passionate story-sharing, was divided into several smaller groups, mostly consisting of strangers. The intimate nature of the subject quickly created an atmosphere of empathy and trust, and the conversation flowed effortlessly.

We aim to create a space welcoming to all spiritual or religious beliefs or non-beliefs. This is a welcoming space to 2SLGBTQ folks.

Organized by North Simcoe Muskoka Hospice Palliative Care Network

 

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Description

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Kathlene Bartlett
Tracy Lavigne

Kathlene Bartlett is a Registered Nurse, Palliative Pain and Symptom Management Consultant with the North Simcoe Muskoka Hospice Palliative Care Network. She has worked in mostly in Acute Care in Palliative/Oncology and Medicine. She has also dabbled in LTC and Public Health. She has a long passion for palliative and end of life care since her life as a child she would go with her mom at times to visit resident’s in LTC. She strives to provide mentorship and capacity build our local Health Care Providers in pain and symptom management and encourages everyone, at any age to have Advanced Care Planning conversations as you never know what life with throw at you.

Tracy Lavigne is a Registered Nurse and one of the Palliative Pain and Symptom Management Consultants with the North Simcoe Muskoka Hospice Palliative Care Network. Tracy has a vast understanding of the Home Care sector having worked as a Palliative Care Coordinator for 15years prior to moving over to the Network. Before her work with Home Care, Tracy worked in both Acute Care and the Community as a nurse in Paediatrics and Oncology. Tracy’s focus is on the palliative care experience. Her goal is to ensure a comfortable, lifelong journey for patients and their caregivers by offering mentorship to our community providers. She demonstrates compassion and kindness as she works to build a better understanding and commitment towards quality palliative care in our region.