b'CARING FOR STAFFof life and all the team debriefs, Potoczny offers a quote to help staffshapes our capacity to be present and people saw that it to think about grief and loss fromto life more than anything else. The was important.author and physician Dr. Rachelway we protect ourselves from loss Naomi Remen, whose practicemay be the way in which we distance Visible leadership at memorials andfocused on chronically and critically ourselves from life and help. We burn team debriefs signals that grievingill patients: out not because we dont care but matters. It models compassion andbecause we dont grieve. LTCTsets the tone for the entire home.The expectation that we can be It signals that acknowledging loss isimmersed in suffering and lossMatthew Bradford is a freelance important and no one is too busy todaily, and not be touched by it, is aswriter with Long Term Care Today. take the time to grieve and supportunrealistic as expecting to be able toThe research article about grief each other.walk through water without gettingcan be found in the October 5, wet. This sort of denial is no small2020 issue of the Journal of Long Advanced care matter. The way we deal with lossTerm Care.planning conversations Advanced care planning offers an opportunity to incorporate grief-aware practices before death, helping reduceCreating Greatconfusion, distress and ethical tension for staff afterwards. These discussionsPlaces for Living!allow residents and families to express preferences about honour guard processions, announcements, music and post-death identification. Documenting these wishes ensures respectful, consistent practice. Moreover, by embedding these conversations early, long-term care homes will be prepared to support both families and staff while honouring resident choice and privacy, creating a structured yet compassionate approach to grief that benefits both employees and the communities they serve.Next steps for homes Potoczny offers the following suggestions for homes that are exploring how to improve on their grief supports for staff: Conduct an anonymous staffsurvey to understand how team members are experiencing and coping with loss, and what supports they feel will help.Congratulations to Omni Quality Living Trial one of the rituals mentioned for breaking ground on their new above (i.e., honour guard,Long-Term Care Home!reflection rooms, or grief debriefs) to see what resonates with staff and what works for the home.Designate a grief support lead /champion who can be a point of connection for staff experiencing grief and empower the lead to do follow up with individuals.srmarchitects.ca|519.885.5600www.oltca.com LONG TERM CARE TODAY 29'