Mindfulness Informed End of Life Care

ABOUT THE CERTIFICATE

Mindfulness Informed End of Life Care (MIEOL*) explores the applications of mindfulness, mindfulness meditation as it has been integrated into contemporary thanatology (the study of dying and death). This program focuses on general health care as well as hospice, palliative, and general end-of-life care. Founded on evidence-based science, while drawing upon contemplative traditions, MIEOL cultivates health, wellness, and resiliency benefits. These practices are helpful for persons who view themselves or are viewed as seriously or chronically ill, the dying, for family and community participants in care, for inter-professional health care teams, as well as for organizational leaders who support teams attending to suffering. MIEOL proposes that we cultivate a "practice of dying" while living, so we can existentially prepare for complexities found in life and particularly in end-of-life care. As such, this is a core approach to end-of-life care that can be used by everyone, depending on their own need and intention.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

• Apply mindfulness meditation practices to the shift in how we attend to suffering, particularly with those who are seriously or chronically ill, dying, familial or professional caregivers, the bereaved, those with a wish to die, inter-professional teams, or those in health care leadership.
• Develop a variety of mindfulness meditation methodologies which will invite change in your relationship to and with suffering.
• Cultivate a mindfulness-based skill set and knowledge base that can be applied in end-of-life care (prevention and intervention).
• Describe the health, wellness, resiliency, and calm-abiding benefits of a compassion-based mindfulness meditation practice.
• Outline both the current research and the contemplative compassion literature associated with mindfulness meditation, while offering familiar examples of compassion narratives imparted by many world contemplative traditions
• Explore how mindfulness and mindfulness meditation can be employed as a decision-making model in care, core to end of life plans.

REQUIRED COURSES

• 3429 Introduction to Mindfulness Informed End of Life Care
• 3430 Mindful Reflections on Attending to Suffering
• 3431 Mindfulness for Compassionate End of Life Care
• 3432 Integrating Mindfulness into Pain Management
• 3433 Integrating Mindfulness into End of Life Counselling Models
• 3434 Practicing Dying

Certificate Requirements

Students have four years from when they begin to complete this certificate. It is recommended that students take the courses in the order they appear below (3429, 3430, 3431, 3432, 3433, 3434). 3429 Introduction to Mindfulness Informed End of Life Care must be taken first and 3434 Practicing Dying taken last. Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) is not available for this certificate.

Note: Check with the institution regarding start/end dates, prices, and delivery method. These may vary according to program, section, and/or semester.