What We Offer
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Family Guidance & Education
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Emotional & Practical Support in navigating the unknown
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Caregiver Support and Respite
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Advance Care Conversations & Coordination
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Workshops & Community Learning
Mission
Contentus supports individuals, families, and communities through serious illness, dying, and end of life.​
Offer accessible, personalized, non-clinical support that honours each person’s values, culture, and wishes
Educate and empower families and communities to participate confidently and compassionately in end-of-life care
Strengthen partnerships and informal networks so care and dying remain connected to community life
Provide steady presence, practical guidance, and supportive resources so families feel less alone
Our mission is to transform fear into understanding, isolation into connection, and confusion into comfort — one person, one family, and one community at a time.
About Us
Contentus – End-of-Life Support & Community Education
North Vancouver, BC
Contentus supports individuals and families as they navigate serious illness and the final chapter of life, offering clarity, calm, and steady guidance. Grounded in hospice experience and informed by community-based approaches used internationally, Contentus focuses on keeping care, presence, and dignity rooted in family and community life
Desiree Kranendijk
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I am the founder of Contentus, a North Vancouver–based initiative offering non-clinical end-of-life support, caregiver guidance, and community education. My work focuses on supporting individuals and families through serious illness and the final chapter of life, with the aim of helping people feel more prepared, supported, and less alone.
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Contentus is informed by hospice experience and by community-based approaches to end-of-life support used internationally, where dying is understood as a shared human experience shaped by relationships, presence, and care—not only by medical services.
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In Canada, many families encounter end of life feeling unprepared, isolated, or unsure where to turn. With strained systems, limited hospice beds, and reduced continuity of support, much of the emotional and practical weight of care falls on families. Contentus was created in response to this gap, offering steady presence, clear information, and practical guidance alongside existing services.
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I bring over five years of experience working as a Hospice Health Care Aide in Vancouver, where I have provided hands-on personal care, emotional support, and bedside presence to people nearing the end of life. Through this work, I have seen how profoundly different the experience can be when families feel informed, supported, and confident—and how difficult it can be when they do not.
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Contentus exists to support families through education, compassionate presence, and open, honest conversation—helping them navigate end of life with greater confidence, connection, and care.
Qualifications
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Master’s degree in Development Studies (Social Sciences)
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Lifelong connection to Dutch traditions of open dialogue and community involvement around death and dying
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Professional training including the Health Care Assistant Program at Capilano University, End-of-Life Doula Certification at Douglas College, LEAP™ Personal Support Worker Palliative Care course, FoodSafe, Trauma-Informed Care, First Aid, and Violence Prevention Training
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Over 4.5 years of experience as a hospice health care aide
Our Services
Family Guidance & Education
Support for individuals and families as they navigate uncertainty, caregiving, and end-of-life transitions. This includes sharing practical knowledge, normalizing experiences, and offering guidance grounded in lived hospice experience. Through steady, non-clinical presence, Contentus helps families feel more informed, confident, and supported as situations evolve. Education is informal, non-clinical, and focused on understanding what to expect and how to respond with care and confidence.
Emotional & Practical In-Home Support (Health Care Aide Scope)
Hands-on assistance with personal care, meals, and daily living tasks, as well as spending time with the individual so caregivers can rest, attend appointments, or take time for themselves. All in-home support remains within Health Care Aide scope and complements existing clinical services.
Caregiver Support & Respite
Emotional support, practical guidance, and normalization of caregiver stress, alongside short periods of in-home respite. This support helps sustain caregiving capacity and reduce burnout during periods of strain.
Advance Care Conversations & Coordination
Support for early, informal conversations about wishes, values, and goals of care, helping individuals and families prepare before crises arise. Contentus also assists with non-clinical coordination and communication across care settings, easing transitions and reducing uncertainty.
Workshops & Community Learning
Accessible, non-clinical workshops and small-group learning designed to strengthen informal caregiving networks and build confidence around end-of-life care. Topics may include supporting a loved one dying at home, comfort-focused caregiving, what to expect as illness progresses, and how caregiving roles can be shared. Sessions may be offered independently or in collaboration with community partners such as caregiver organizations or local community groups. Workshops focus on practical understanding, shared learning, and caregiver confidence, and do not provide medical instruction or replace professional clinical education.
Community Partnerships
At Contentus, we believe end-of-life support is a shared community responsibility. By partnering with local organizations, community groups, and care providers, we help extend compassionate, non-clinical support and education beyond medical settings—bringing care closer to where people live, connect, and support one another.
Partnership opportunities include:
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Co-creating resources or community-based initiatives that strengthen collective caregiving
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Hosting conversations and educational events that build death literacy and caregiver confidence
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Providing caregiver focused on presence, communication, and practical support
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Offering workshops for staff, faith communities, and neighbourhood networks
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Together, we can help foster more connected, caring communities—where knowledge, compassion, and presence guide how we support one another at the end of life.