While developed for oncology professionals, the recommendations outlined in this resource have important implications across the continuum of care, including hospice, palliative care, grief, and bereavement services.

The BC Hospice Palliative Care Association (BCHPCA) is pleased to share a new educational resource developed by the Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology (CANO): Cancer Care Compass: Supporting Neurodivergent Cancer Patients.

Approximately 15 - 20% of Canadians identify as neurodivergent, including individuals with autism, ADHD, OCD, Down syndrome, and other neurodevelopmental differences. Yet many continue to experience barriers when accessing healthcare services, including communication challenges, sensory sensitivities, stigma, medical mistrust, and inequitable access to supportive care.

These barriers can contribute to delayed diagnoses, poorer health outcomes, and increased distress for patients and families.

Many of the principles highlighted, including clear communication, sensory awareness, flexible approaches to decision making, caregiver engagement, navigation support, and person centred care, align closely with the values that underpin hospice palliative care.

As our communities become increasingly diverse, it is important that we continue to examine how our programs, environments, and services can better support neurodivergent individuals and families throughout their illness journey, at end of life, and during grief and bereavement.

Why This Matters

Healthcare encounters can be overwhelming for neurodivergent individuals. Differences in communication, information processing, sensory experiences, and the expression of pain or symptoms can create barriers to receiving appropriate care and support.

For hospice societies, this raises important questions:

• How accessible are our programs and services for neurodivergent individuals and families?
• Are staff and volunteers equipped to recognize and respond to diverse communication styles and sensory needs?
• Do our grief and bereavement programs provide flexible and inclusive opportunities for participation?
• Are there opportunities to strengthen partnerships with disability serving organizations in our communities?

Small changes can have a meaningful impact on a person's experience of care.

Building on Provincial Efforts

This resource also aligns with broader work underway in BC to improve equitable access to hospice and palliative care for people with neurodevelopmental disabilities and medical complexity.

BCHPCA has been pleased to support the Advancing Compassionate Hospice & Palliative Care for People with Neurodevelopmental Complexity (CPC-NDC) initiative, a collaborative effort bringing together individuals with lived experience, healthcare providers, researchers, community organizations, disability advocates, and system leaders to identify practical solutions for improving access to compassionate, person-centred care. Through a growing Community of Practice (CoP), educational initiatives, and provincial roundtables, this work is helping bridge longstanding gaps between the disability and hospice palliative care sectors and advance a provincial action plan focused on education, navigation, inclusive decision making, and coordinated care.

As BCHPCA continues its commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility, we look forward to supporting conversations and initiatives that help ensure every person receives care that is compassionate, accessible, and responsive to their unique needs.

Join the Conversation

Have you adapted your grief, bereavement, hospice, or palliative care services to better support neurodivergent individuals and families?

We'd love to hear from you.

We invite hospice societies, palliative care providers, volunteers, caregivers, and community organizations to share their experiences, promising practices, challenges, and learning opportunities as we continue working together to build a more inclusive and accessible hospice palliative care system across BC and the Yukon.

Access the Resource Here: