Michael Bennett

For Michael Bennett, adjunct professor of social work, providing comfort for people facing difficult end-of-life decisions and solace for their loved ones isn’t just his career and research focus, it’s a calling. A leader in palliative care education who has spent most of his career in Windsor, Ontario, Dr. Bennett believes comfort can come from giving those in palliative and hospice care the chance to fulfill their dreams and goals, improving quality of life for them and their families—a chance that he has made reality for hundreds of people.

What past accomplishment makes you most proud?

I’m most proud of creating Oneday Dreams, a Canada-wide charity that fulfills end-of-life dreams for adults (18-plus) who are living with terminal illnesses. In the past three years, we’ve fulfilled over 100 dreams, touching every Canadian province.

During the 10 years I worked in palliative and hospice care after obtaining my Master of Social Work degree, I learned that not only were discussions about dreams and wishes never making it to the forefront of goals of care conversations, but there were limited dream fulfillment resources for individuals once they reached the age of 18. These were the primary reasons why my friend and I started Oneday Dreams.

What are you excited about right now?

I’m most excited about my research that explores different aspects of dream fulfillment at the end of life. I’m working with a small but mighty research team here at UTA to examine the state of the literature on end-of-life dream experiences and bucket-list fulfillment, and I’m also beginning a study to evaluate the impact of dream fulfillment on quality of life. Next, I’ll be exploring the impact of dream fulfillment on the bereavement outcomes of surviving loved ones.

What are you most looking forward to?

I’m looking forward to using my research to change the current paradigm of end-of-life care. Experts in end-of-life care have long recognized the importance of conducting goals-of-care discussions with their clients. However, current concepts of goals of care remain largely provider-centred; that is, driven by clinicians’ and the health care system’s need for clarity in their clients’ treatment preferences.

My intention is to use my research to inspire end-of-life care providers to prioritize conversations about hopes, dreams, and bucket lists. In learning these goals, clinicians are better suited to promote informed decision-making when discussing the potential impact of treatment options.