New Georgian, Brightshores partnership to advance palliative care in Grey-Bruce
June 9, 2025
A new, innovative partnership will bolster palliative care and support for families in Grey-Bruce thanks to advanced research and training through Georgian College and Brightshores Health System.
Starting this fall, Georgian and Brightshores will offer palliative care simulation training to a variety of health care providers – from primary care physicians and care coordinators to community nurses and pharmacists – who see palliative patients through the early, middle and final stages of the end of their lives.
The need for high-quality palliative care in the community is greater than ever. Most people want to be at home near the end of life, yet many rural and underserved communities face barriers to making that possible. This project brings simulation-based learning right into the home setting – where care happens – to strengthen the skills and confidence of providers, and ultimately, to help more people live well and die comfortably in the place they choose.
– Dr. Kelly Fenn, Palliative Medicine Physician at Brightshores Health System and the lead physician for this project
Dr. Rebecca Brookham is the first adjunct scientist at Georgian through this new partnership, as well as Director of the Brightshores Research Institute. She will help lead the research and training at the college’s Owen Sound Campus, which will include a mix of hired actors and high-fidelity manikins as simulated palliative patients.
Hired actors to portray palliative care patients and family members
The Pan-Canadian Care Research Collaborative provided funding for this initiative – through a contribution from Health Canada’s Health Care Policy and Strategies Program – which includes three six-hour sessions in a simulated lab setting that looks like the inside of someone’s home.
Hired actors portraying palliative patients are eventually replaced by life-like, high-fidelity manikins as they progress through their final chapter of life. Actors playing family members of these patients are also part of the training, so learners can practice interacting with them in high-emotion, intense conversations.
Georgian’s innovative simulation labs are the perfect location for this research and training to take place – not only to help advance palliative care in the Grey-Bruce region, but also to strengthen and expand our health care and research partnerships. This partnership is a direct example of Georgian’s strategic plan to build thriving, supported communities, and it creates more localized opportunities for people to live and work in their home communities.
– Dr. Mira Ray, Executive Director, Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Georgian
Innovative training potentially expanding to Georgian’s nursing curriculum
Georgian’s Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing program is currently expanding its clinical placements into palliative care, so there’s potential to expand this new training into the college’s curriculum to even better prepare students for in-demand health care careers.
“I am thrilled to see this partnership continue to grow and contribute to the development and support of health care workers providing palliative care within the community,” said Brookham.
This work is essential to ensure equitable access to care within rural regions, by ensuring patients are supported to age in place, and their families and health care team are provided with adequate resources and training to support these patients.
This palliative care project is the first project as part of Georgian and Brightshores’ agreement to cross-appoint adjunct scientists to enhance health research and education. Adjunct scientist partnerships are uncommon outside university settings in Canada, demonstrating each institution’s commitment to innovation and collaboration. Georgian is one of the top 50 research colleges in Canada.
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