Makoto Takahashi - Leader in Death Education in Japan's ADEC

On Saturday morning I had the distinct honour of welcoming Makoto Takahashi and his family to our home! Makoto (Mac) is a leader in death education in Japan. He is very active in the Association of Death Education and Counselling (ADEC) in Japan.

Before he retired Mac taught at a very old prestigious private school that has educated many leaders. Mac taught students between 15 and 18 years old. He taught at least 800 students a year! Classes were one hour long, twice a week, and went for ten weeks. Approximately 20 hours of study. Students often came back to him in the years following the course when they experienced a death in their lives. Apparently there were 10-15 deaths of parents each year in this very large school. For those who would like more information on the curriculum, please feel free to email me and I can connect you with Mac.

As I listened to Mac talk, I thought that perhaps the owl who visited us the night before was simply a foreshadowing of the wisdom that Mac would bring the next morning!

Thanks Mac!

BCHPCA, Charmaine Crooks, Glenda Standeven, Elizabeth Causton, Alan Wolfelt and one more surprise!

Highligts of the BCHPCA conference...

1. Charmaine Crooks, Olympian, was the MC for the awards banquet! Charmaine blessed us with her grace, generousity of spirit, and stories of her family's experiences with palliative care. To be in her presence was to feel of greatness and humility simultaneously. To be greeted by her was to feel loved. I would expect this from a great spiritual leader, but had not expected to feel this from a great athlete. Thanks Charmaine for sharing yourself with us!
2. Glenda Standeven, author of "Choosing to Smile" shared stories and laughter from her life, including the irony of having a leg amputated and carrying the name "STANDEVEN". Her stories were hilarious and inspiring. Thanks Glenda!
3. My dear teacher colleague Elizabeth Causton did not surprise me, she delivered yet another FABULOUS presentation titled "Changing the way we care: Self First" and reminded us of the importance of "putting our own oxygen on before helping someone with theirs" and suggested that the lesson from flying can be applied to our lives.
   
4. Day two of the conference was actually a day sponsored by Kearney's funeral home - and Dr Alan Wolfelt spoke to us. He is a fabulous speaker, and brings the theory of loss and grief and mourning from theory to practicality with humour and warmth.
   
5. And.... perhaps the best part of all.... this focus of this conference was on the Hospice Societies,... and I so enjoyed meeting people from hospices located throughout the province... . What a great group of individuals! Kay Johnson received the Award of Excellence, and her acceptance speech acknolwedged the role of many of the earlier leaders of HPC in BC - who paved the way for what is being enjoyed and built upon today.

After the ferry home to Victoria, we wrapped up in blankets, sat on the deck, and watched the sky get dark, the stars shine, and the moon move across the sky. I lit some candles by the edge of the deck that gave enough light so we could see each other. We shared some great discussion with our daughter Krystal and her hubby Jared... and gently and suddenly a big beautiful BARRED OWL landed on the railing just ten feet from us! S/He sat and looked at us, looked around, and after a few minutes swooped down to the garden and up to the corner of the roof. It was a most unique and cherished moment. One we will always remember. (For those who read the story "I heard the owl call my name", ... he did not call our names, just looked at us!)
WOW.
Kath

Great news from Niagara Falls....

The NACC has just updated their Personal Support Worker Program with the launch of a revised module on caring for the dying!

Last year the "Essentials in Hospice Palliative Care" manual and companion resources were approved by the National Association of Career Colleges for their Personal Support Worker education program. Earlier this year I was invited by NACC to rewrite the curriculum about caring for the dying person.

I was thrilled to develop this module, now titled "Care of the Dying Person and Their Family: Essentials in Hospice Palliative Care".

Thanks to Linda Von Tettenborn for your consulting support, and thanks to the NACC Advisory Committee for your expertise.

Today the presentation to launch the materials was well received. We look so forward to hearing how the implementation goes for the colleges and welcome any feedback!

Early this morning Ted and I walked along by Niagara Falls. What an amazing site, all the more amazing because we were alone in the early morning hours. As I contemplated the "Seven Wonders of the World" I reflected on caregivers, the incredible contribution they make and suggest that caregivers are also one of the great wonders of the world!

Kath

Loss Grief and Growth Education Resource launched in Alberta!

On Friday April 29, 2011 at the Alberta Funeral Service Association (AFSA) annual conference, the "Loss Grief and Growth Education Resource (LGG) was launched.(For further information about LGG go to: http://kathmurray.blogspot.com/2010/06/loss-grief-and-growth-education-project.html)

The AFSA committee, led by SHeila Van Alstyne, presented the work that they have done to facilitate the implementation by both the Funeral Directors and the Schools. They have compiled "KITS" with the LGG resource, supporting materials, and copies of the "essential" books that each school would do well to have on hand. With kits in hand, the Funeral Directors can approach the schools, provide the resources, and offer education/support/resources. With kits already compiled, the teachers will not have to fund or find funding to purchase basic resources to have on hand.

It was great to be among the Funeral Directors again. I continue to be surprised by the commitment of so many to their communities and their clients. In the future, I will write more about this.

Kath