Resources

Advance Care Planning / Planning for the Future

Conversations Matter - Alberta Health Services
Advance care planning guide helps you make decisions and talk to your family and doctors to get care that respects your wishes and values.

Office of the Public Guardian - Alberta Human Services
A Government of Alberta office that helps vulnerable and seriously ill people who aren’t able to make personal decisions on their own. The Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee provides services, tools and support for personal and financial matters to vulnerable Albertans and their families.

Saying Farewell - Alberta Health
A guide to help people and their families plan ahead for funerals, legal and money issues, and wills and estates.

Financial Support for Patients & Caregivers

Being a Caregiver: Apply for Employment Insurance Compassionate Care Benefits - Service Canada
EI benefits for caregivers

Compassionate Care Leave - Alberta Labour
An Alberta Labour program for caregivers to take an unpaid leave from work to care for a seriously ill family member.

Palliative Coverage - Alberta Health
A program for Alberta residents that a doctor has diagnosed as palliative. It covers health services not covered under the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan.

Hospice & Palliative Care Information

A Resource Guide for the Development of Community Palliative and End-of-Life Care within Alberta
The Resource Guide will assist communities in the creation of their own local palliative and end-of-life community services and supports, and was developed in response to numerous requests AHS received from communities across Alberta for palliative and end-of-life care information.

Alberta Hospice Palliative Care Association (AHPCA)
Information about palliative care in Alberta for people who are palliative and their caregivers.​​

Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association  (CHPCA)
A national resource for hospice palliative care in Canada with information for family caregivers, professionals and volunteers.

Canadian Virtual Hospice
Provides support and personalized information about palliative and end-of-life care to patients, family members, health care providers, researchers and educators.

Palliative and End of Life Care (PEOLC) - MyHealth.Alberta.ca
Health information covering symptom management, grief and bereavement, final days and coping as a caregiver.

Palliative and End of Life Care (PEOLC) Framework - Alberta Health Services
The Provincial Framework was developed with the intention of improving patient care to all Albertans regardless of the type of life limiting illness or geographic location in which one resides. The Framework was built around Alberta Health Services (AHS) seven core values and the mission of providing a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.

Information After Someone Dies

Alberta Funeral Service Association
Web based resources addressing topics such as who to call first, writing an obituary and funeral etiquette.

Dealing with Death - Canada Benefits
Web links and phone numbers including topics such as Allowance for the Survivor, Funeral, Burial and Gravemarking Assistance, CPP Survivor Pension, CPP Child (<25 years old) Benefits, CPP Death Benefit, Decedent Estates Program and War Veteran Allowance.

Following a death - Service Canada
A helpful guide of what to do following a death including first steps, how to obtain a death certificate, benefits survivors may be eligible to receive, and managing personal finances.

What to Do When Someone Dies - Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)
Tax information

Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) Information

Medical Assistance in Dying
Provides information on Medical Assistance in Dying which includes information on how to reach Medical Assistance in Dying Care Coordination Services. Albertans have a variety of choices when it comes to end-of-life care. The provincial PEOLC Website focuses on palliative and end-of-life care. Medical Assistance in Dying is a separate healthcare option that is also available to Albertans at the end of life. Albertans that are thinking about or planning for Medical Assistance in Dying can still receive palliative and end-of-life care if they choose.

Other

211 Alberta
211 is a free, confidential service that provides information and referral to a wide range of community, social and government services.

Alberta Health Services Continuing Care Facility Directory
An online facility directory with comprehensive information on all of Alberta’s publicly-funded continuing care facilities. This online tool is designed to simplify the process of finding a care home when one is needed. Each continuing care facility has its own page, detailing information specific to that location, including: services and available amenities; accommodation charges; information about quality and standards; and photos, maps and contact information to help with the decision process.

Edmonton Zone Annual Report
The last annual report on the Edmonton Zone Palliative and End-of-Life Program.

99 Common Question About Hospice Palliative Care: A Nurses Handbook
The 5th edition of the 99 Common Question About Hospice Palliative Care: A Nurses Handbook will be made available once final revisions have been completed. Questions can be directed to ezpcp@ahs.ca.

Clinical Knowledge Topic

Methadone Prescribing – Physician Information
This College of Physician & Surgeons of Alberta website provides information to Physicians about Methadone prescribing, including information on licensing, required education and training, FAQs and Resources. Alberta physicians are required to have specific education and training in order to prescribe methadone safely for their patients. For initiating or maintaining methadone treatment, physicians must apply to the CPSA for Opioid Agonist Treatment approval. Questions can be emailed to methadone.info@cpsa.ca.