December 2022 Pain BC Newsletter | | Thank you for being an important part of our community | |
As 2022 draws to a close, we want to thank you for being a part of our community, which brings hope and support to people living with pain all year long.
We’re grateful for our volunteers and staff who allow us to meet the unique needs of people with pain, whether they are looking to learn about pain, talk to someone who cares, or find pain-related resources.
We’re thankful to all the people living with pain who have contributed their time, experience, and knowledge to enhance our programs, resources, and advocacy.
We’re deeply appreciative of our many partners in Pain Canada, our newly formed national action network, as well as the steering committee of people with lived experience who developed and hosted Pain Canada’s first ever conference by and for people living with pain.
We’re also grateful for the generosity of the funders and donors who support our work, including many people who live with pain themselves. By making a donation to Pain BC, our supporters enable us to grow our programs and services to reach even more people with pain in BC and across Canada.
We extend our warmest wishes and all the best for the new year.
| | Pain BC programs, resources and updates | |
Opportunities to join the Pain BC team
Applications open for two positions
We're excited to share we're currently looking for three individuals to join our growing team: Communications Coordinator - Bilingual, Education Programs Lead and Education Programs Coordinator.
- The Communications Coordinator - Bilingual (French/English) supports Pain BC's external communication efforts in both English and French.
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The Education Programs Lead develops education programs for people living with pain and a variety of health care provider disciplines.
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The Education Programs Coordinator adds value to education programs by bringing efficiency to projects, day-to-day activities, and events.
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Pain BC programs and services survey
Your input is valuable to us
Pain BC is working on making it easier for people living with pain to find the programs and services that work best for them. Please fill out our survey to share your thoughts and experiences with us. The survey should only take a few minutes to complete.
| | Our supports for people with pain | | Knowledge is power. Learn to manage pain and improve well-being though our library of evidence-based articles on LivePlanBe or start a customized program on LivePlanBe+. | |  | Connect with Pain Support Line staff to talk about your pain, find information on community resources, learn about pain and self-management, and much more. | | | Join an online group and build a community of support while learning about pain, pain management and coping strategies. | | | Receive one-on-one phone support and mentorship from a coach who will help you learn about self-management, regaining function and improving your well-being. | | |
Gentle Movement @ Home: Guided movement and relaxation for pain
Gentle Movement @ Home free online videos provide guided movement and relaxation designed to help people with persistent pain learn to feel safe to move again. Topics include breath awareness and regulation, body tension regulation, and movement and relaxation techniques in both seated and standing positions.
The full collection of Gentle Movement @ Home videos are available to view for free via our YouTube channel.
| | | Upcoming Pain BC and partner workshops, webinars and courses for health care providers | |
Pain Foundations for Allied Health Providers
Pain Foundations for Allied Health Providers is an online course designed for allied health care providers to improve their understanding of chronic pain and how to address the challenges of pain assessment and treatment. This practical, compact course allows learners to develop clinically relevant approaches to chronic pain management and develop a strong grounding in pain science to support further exploration. The course is free for health care providers in BC and offered at a modest cost for providers outside of BC.
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Pain Foundations for Primary Care Providers
This practical, compact course allows physicians and nurse practitioners to develop clinically relevant approaches to chronic pain management, including non-pharmacological treatments and prescribing best practices. Learners will develop a strong grounding in pain science to support further exploration. The course is free for primary care providers in BC and offered at a modest cost for physicians and nurse practitioners outside of BC.
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Gentle Movement and Relaxation course
This free, online course will equip physiotherapists and other therapeutic movement professionals with practical knowledge and teaching resources to lead their own movement and relaxation programs for people living with chronic pain.
The Gentle Movement and Relaxation course is currently available to BC health care providers only.
| | | Pain BC relies on the generosity of our donors to deliver our programs and services. We gratefully acknowledge that many of our programs and services receive partial financial support from the Province of British Columbia, including Coaching for Health, the Pain Support Line, Pain Support and Wellness Groups, our chronic pain management workshops for health care providers, Gentle Movement and Relaxation course, LivePlanBe, Making Sense of Pain, Pain Foundations, and the Pain Waves podcast. | | Other programs, opportunities and resources | |
Putting the Pieces Together: Conference recordings available
View the recordings on YouTube
During National Pain Awareness Week, Pain Canada hosted Putting the Pieces Together, its first-ever virtual conference for and by people living with pain. Recordings of the conference sessions are now available on the new Pain Canada YouTube channel. The sessions cover topics focused on pain and equity, disability rights, describing your pain to clinicians, federal efforts to improve pain care in Canada, and more.
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Webinar on low back pain
Recording now available to view
UHN Health Talks is an education program that helps you learn more about various health topics, community resources, and ways to manage your health or specific condition. The series recently included a webinar on low back pain presented by Dr. Andrea Furlan, a pain specialist in Toronto with more than 30 years of experience.
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Self-Management BC's upcoming workshops
Virtual and in-person options in the new year
Self-Management BC offers free health programs to adults in BC living with one or more ongoing health conditions. They host virtual as well as in-person workshops focusing on a range of chronic conditions. Registration is open for upcoming workshops in the new year.
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Save the date: Pacific Pain Forum
In-person in Vancouver with virtual option: April 28, 2023
The Pacific Pain Forum is a full-day hybrid pain conference presented by Providence Health Care. The event will include leading voices in the international pain community who will talk about the latest advances in clinical care, research and innovations in pain medicine. The event is free for people with lived experience who join online.
| | Research and engagement opportunities | |
Study: Power Over Pain Portal for Youth
The Power Over Pain portal for youth is an online portal designed to help young people manage their pain. Researchers are seeking participants aged 12-18 who have been experiencing pain for three months or longer. Participation will involve answering online questionnaires, using the Power Over Pain portal for eight weeks, and optionally completing a feedback interview. All participants will receive volunteer hours and gift card compensation. To sign up, email rachelr.kelly@sickkids.ca.
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Study: The mind-body connection and its role in chronic pain in youth
Researchers at BC Children’s Hospital want to explore narratives of youth affected by chronic pain and their parents to understand whether there are any unique ways that those affected by pain recognize the mind-body connection and its role in symptoms. Through learning more about facilitators and barriers to mental health care access for these families, they hope to improve access to current available treatments. You are eligible to participate if you are a youth (aged 12-18) experiencing chronic pain or a caregiver of youth experiencing chronic pain. Participation involves taking part in focus groups with other youth experiencing chronic pain and their parents. To participate, email Amrit.Dhariwal@cw.bc.ca.
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Study: Pain throughout the day
If you live with pain, does it change throughout the day? The CircaPain research team is studying how time of day impacts pain and wants to hear about your experience. This study is open to all adults who have had persistent pain for more than three months. Learn more and take the survey on CircaPain's website: circapain.ca.
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Canada's Disability Inclusion Action Plan
The Government of Canada has released a new Disability Inclusion Action Plan with four pillars of key action areas: financial security, employment, accessible and inclusive communities, and a modern approach to disability.
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Nine things in my 'spoonie room'
Chronic pain impacts life in many ways, including how we organize our spaces. The author of this article shares nine ways she has adapted her bedroom to be more supportive of her needs.
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Winter self-care resources
We revisited our archives for last year's Pain Waves episode in which registered social worker Danielle Harrison talks to us about ways to stay connected to loved ones, set boundaries with friends and family, and avoid seasonal depression.
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Patient Voices Network annual report
Administered by the BC Patient Safety & Quality Council, the Patient Voices Network is a community of patients, families and caregivers. Their 2021-2022 annual report is now available.
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© 2022 Pain BC Society. All Rights Reserved.
312 Main St
Vancouver, BC V6A 2T2
Charitable registration number: 83220 0422 RR0001
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