Explore every episode of the podcast Beyond the Stethoscope

In this episode, host Lori Gill is joined by Rachel Lapensee to explore the powerful impact of Palliative Care Consultation Teams (PCCTs) in long-term care (LTC) settings. As our aging population grows, so does the complexity of care required in LTC. Rachel shares insights from a recent 2025 study published in BMC Palliative Care and unpacks how PCCTs—made up of palliative care physicians, social workers, and other specialists—can enhance quality of life, reduce unnecessary hospitalizations, support staff, and provide comfort to families and residents alike.
Tune in to learn how integrating a palliative approach earlier in the illness trajectory can transform care in LTC facilities.

Article: Palliative care consultation teams in long-term care: a descriptive retrospective cohort study 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent or the North Simcoe Muskoka Hospice Palliative Care Network.

Join our host Lori Gill, and her guest Julie Leighton-Phelps, Palliative Pain and Symptom Management Consultant with the North Simcoe Muskoka Hospice Palliative Care Network, as they discuss a palliative approach to serious mental illnesses(SMI).

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent or the North Simcoe Muskoka Hospice Palliative Care Network.

Join our host Lori Gill, and her guest Laura Bates, Palliative Pain and Symptom Management Consultant with the North Simcoe Muskoka Hospice Palliative Care Network, as they discuss Normalizing Talking About Death & Dying. 

Related resources

• Transcript
• Article: Patient’s Perspectives on the Notion of a Good Death - A Systematic Review of the Literature
• Article: Upstreaming and Normalizing Advance Care Planning Conversations—A Public Health Approach

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent or the North Simcoe Muskoka Hospice Palliative Care Network.