The 17th annual conference for Palliative Care Social Work Conference at MSU Denver/Springhill Suites was a success! We had almost 200 attendees at our hybrid event. Students, early career professionals and experts received outstanding continuing education pearls and meaningfully connected in community. With an interactive focus on interprofessional collaboration and professional self-care, all of the presentations were high-quality, evidence-based sessions.
The keynote was presented by two of our own CU Anschutz Palliative Care Education faculty, Lauren Treat MD and Rachel Rusch LCSW. “Personhood and Perspective: Addressing Narrative Elements of Neuropalliative Medicine” Highlighted the importance of pediatric palliative care, a growing subspecialty. By sharing a touching story of a young adult who has been living with a neurological illness since childhood, the attendees learned about the idea of “ableism” and what it is like to feel othered. Presenters highlighted pediatric and neurology in relation to palliative care practice.
Cara York, yoga instructor and spiritual guide, provided a mid-day guided mindfulness practice while playing singing bowls. Some of our own fantastic palliative care community specialists presented at the conference. Liz Wambugu, AGNP ACHPN and Maggie Gould, LCSW APHSW-C presented “Relational Autonomy and Its Role at the End of Life”.
Please consider attending next year to support palliative care social workers in the Rocky Mountain area.
For more information on MSU Denver school or social work or the Social Work Palliative Care conference: Palliative Care Social Work Conference - MSU Denver