Katherine Kortes-Miller
Assistant Professor, School of Social Work and Palliative Care Division Lead, Centre for Education and Research on Aging and Health (CERAH) Lakehead University
- Thunder Bay ON
An unconventional death educator and researcher with a passion for palliative care and improving end of life care for all
Media
Social
Biography
Industry Expertise
Areas of Expertise
Accomplishments
Faculty Research Award - $ 8640
2012 - 2013
SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship - $40,000
2012 - 2014
Thunder Bay Citizenship Spirit Award
2016
Technology Evaluation in the Elderly Network Research Fellowship - $100,000
2014 - 2016
Education
Lakehead University
PhD
Education
2015
Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies Specialization in the Social, Cultural & Political Contexts of Education
Dissertation: Death Education: Simulating the End of Life to Beginning Healthcare Providers.
Supervisor: Dr. Lisa Korteweg
Lakehead University
BSW (Hons.)
Social Work
1998
ON Clinical Placement: Thunder Bay Sexual Assault/ Sexual Abuse Counselling and Crisis Centre
*Graduated with First Class Standing
Affiliations
- Past Chair, Board of Directors, Hospice Northwest
Media Appearances
Death Education
The Current CBC radio
"I think it's time that we take death out of the closet," says Kathy Kortes-Miller, an assistant professor at Lakehead University's School of Social Work.
Podcast - Talking about death won't kill you!
Death Goes Digital online
2016-10-24
Podcast by Peter Billingham
Research Grants
Good medicine: Supporting elderly individuals at home in Northwestern Ontario
Thunder Bay Community
2008 - 2013
Co-Investigator
Interdisciplinary End-of- Life Care Education Using High Fidelity Simulation in Long Term Care.
Technology Evaluation in the Elderly Network (TVN)
2014 - 2016
Research Fellow
Improving Public Engagement in Advance Care Planning through peer- facilitated group activities
Canadian Frailty Network
2016
Co-Investigator
Dying alone: perspectives on the final stage of life from LGBT elders living in Ontario
Law Society of Ontario
2016
Co-Principle Investigator
Valuing the perspectives of LGBT older adults in Canada: An evidence based approach to developing inclusive research and policy agendas
SSHRC Insight Development Grant
2016 - 2019
Co-Principle Investigator
Speaking Up and Speaking Out: A toolkit for healthcare professionals caring for older LGBT adults facing the end of their lives
Retired Teachers of Ontario
2017
Co-Principle Investigator
Articles
Dying with Carolyn: Using simulation to improve communication skills of unregulated care providers working in Long-Term Care
Journal of Applied Gerontology2016
This article examines the development, implementation, and evaluation of a pilot project utilizing high-fidelity simulation (HFS) to improve frontline staff members' confidence and skills to communicate about death and dying in long-term care homes.
Developing and implementing peer-led intervention to support staff in long-term care homes manage grief
SAGE Open2016
Front-line staff in long-term care (LTC) homes often form strong emotional bonds with residents. When residents die, staffs' grief often goes unattended, and may result in disenfranchised grief...
OA6 Talking about death won't kill you; introducing die-alogues
BMJ Supportive and Palliative Care2015
Death holds a significant place in societies despite not being a direct or first-hand experience for many. Fewer people now die in their homes surrounded by family, and we have distanced ourselves from death by geography and the medicalisation of death...
Development of a palliative care education program in rural long-term care facilities
Journal of Palliative Care2007
In North America, people 85 years and older are the fastest growing age cohort and long-term care homes are increasingly becoming the place of end-of-life care. This is especially true in rural communities where services are lacking...
