Penticton & District
Hospice Society
Spring 2013
Chair Report
As we move into pleasant spring weather, it is a
time for considering what the new year will
bring. Certainly we should be pleased about the
partnership with Interior Health in the operation
of the Moog & Friends Hospice House. Volunteers have provided much appreciated services
to the residents in their last days. The massage
program continues to be well received. These
are important ways in which we fulfill our
mandate to provide caring palliative care.
Our recent efforts to take palliative care into the
community are bearing fruit. Volunteers, including the massage team, are providing much
valued services to those dealing with end-of-life
in their homes. Again our partnership with Interior Health, in this case the community palliative
nurses, is proving to be effective.
The Bereavement Resource Centre is another
way in which the Society saw a way to reach out
into the community to provide assistance to
those dealing with grief. After its first year of
operation has it proven to be a valued community resource? Its developing programs have
helped many in a variety of ways, and its impact
is well demonstrated by the number of people
that come each month seeking its services. Now
the Bereavement Resource Centre is asking for
help from individuals in the community to
decide what directions it should be taking in the
future. The Brainstorming session recently held
on April 4th will help to gauge the pulse of the
community in understanding where the most
important needs are.
With the initial success of the Bereavement
Resource Centre it is now time for the Society as
a whole to ask itself what directions it should be
taking. The continued support of the Moog &
Friends Hospice House must be a centerpiece of
our activity. How else should we be seeking to
support palliative care in the community? The
brainstorming session of the Bereavement
Resource Centre will provide some ideas towards this. The question in essence is – how
should we make effective use of the monies
donated to us to advance palliative care in
Penticton and the surrounding regions? If you
have some ideas on future directions or
programs please do not hesitate to contact us.
Dave Head
**********************
Community Integration Care Coordinator
Another winter has passed and Spring is upon
us. The Palliative Care Program has had an
unusually busy winter. Since our last newsletter
(six months ago) we have had more than 110
new referrals to the Palliative Care Program in
Penticton and Summerland. There have been
about 100 admissions to Moog and Friends Hospice House. During this time 109 deaths have
occurred- 78 at Hospice House, 16 at home and
15 at Penticton Regional Hospital.
The Palliative Homecare Nurses have been in
their new office here at Hospice House for more
than six months now. Feedback has been very
positive as this change has helped our program
run smoother than ever.
Dr. Alan Nixon officially joined our team last
October. We are happy to have him here and
have found him to be a very valuable addition to
the team. His knowledge and enthusiasm are a
welcome addition to our weekly Palliative
Rounds. A special thank you goes out to Dr.
Elizabeth Watters for filling in for Dr. Nixon when
he was away recently. Dr. Watters has made
herself available to us in the past and her contribution to the program is always much appreciated.
HOW THE PENTICTON & DISTRICT
HOSPICE SOCIETY USES YOUR
DONATED FUNDS
It had been noted recently that some of the furniture at Hospice House had seen better days. We are
happy to have purchased a few new items that have
brightened and updated the House. There is now a
new loveseat in the entryway, two occasional
chairs in the Quiet Room, and a much needed sofa
for the staffroom.
The Hospice Palliative Care Program is dedicated
to the care of the terminally ill patient, their
family and support network. The purpose of the
program is to alleviate suffering and to improve
the quality of living for persons for whom
curative treatment is no longer desired or appropriate. The Hospice Palliative Care Program
makes every effort to assist clients in a homelike
environment.
We recently received a thank you card from the
family of a woman who had first been a patient in
the Homecare part of our program and then
became a patient at Moog and Friends Hospice
House for the end of her life. It reminded me that
we all (staff and volunteers) play an important part
in the patient’s and their loved ones experience
while on our program, and why we are here. I
would like to share their sentiments with youTo the Staff at Hospice House…..We entrusted the
care and vulnerability of our mother & wife to the
extraordinary members of the staff team at the
Hospice- our trust was not misplaced. Every interaction with Mom was infused with gentle, compassionate and respectful energy. Mom knew she was
safe and well cared for- she relaxed and allowed
her last days to be peaceful. You also took care of
us- as we cared for her. Thank you from all of us.
The Society uses your donations to provide
support and comfort to those who are terminally
ill and on the palliative care program as well as
their families. We support the hospice volunteer
program as well as offering continuing education
to the volunteers and staff at Moog & Friends
Hospice House. Additionally, we provide financial assistance for upgrades and improvements as
they are needed to Moog and Friends Hospice
House and the property it is located on. Our goal
is to provide timely resources & services to
those experiencing bereavement and other end
of life issues and/or concerns.
May
15-11th.
Let’s continue to do the great work that we do!
Tania Lining
RN CHPCNC
Under the theme, "Canadians are aging. We've
done the math. Have you?" This year we hope
to encourage professionals, caregivers, and the
general public to
advocate for better hospice palliative
care...especially with the population aging at
the rate that it is.
Don’t forget to check out our web sites @ www.pentictonhospice.com and
www.pentictonbereavementresources.com
for the latest updates and valuable information. The newsletter is
also available on line.
Meet The Board
Ron Sylvester has lived in Penticton for most of his life except a 7-year
tenure with the Government of the Northwest Territories in the 70’s. His
job involved annual visits to every community in the north, which on
one snowy September 2nd promoted a move back to sunny Penticton.
Community interests have included board & volunteer positions as a
Fire Fighter, Paramedic, Ducks Unlimited, Jaycee’s, Financial Advisors
Associations, Foundations and College Planned Giving Programs.
For the past 29-years Ron has been involved in the Financial & Insurance business as an independent
advisor, with a special interest in the Charitable Gifting sector. Several associates, friends and family
have been involved with Moog & Friends Hospice House, which prompted Ron to take a more active
role as Board Member in Jan 2013.
Ron is married to Elaine, has 4 grown children, a dog & three cats. Interests include Stock Car racing,
RV’ing and enjoying the great Okanagan outdoors.
Volunteer Coordinator
So nice to see spring upon us and the blue sky back, I notice there are even a few spring bulbs poking
their heads up. With that brings another volunteer training. This session started at the beginning of
April. This is an afternoon training from 1-4, three days a week for two weeks. Anyone interested or
just thinking about volunteering please contact me for more information.
The last year brought such growth to our volunteer program and there are so many options for those
who would like to give back to this great community program. 2013 will bring a huge opportunity for
volunteers who would like to get involved in fundraising. We will be forming a new committee that
will be responsible for brainstorming fundraising ideas and bringing them to fruition. This is an exciting time for anyone who likes to work on tasks and see events through from start to finish, or to see the
start of annual events.
I would like to take an opportunity to acknowledge all of our volunteers for their dedication and commitment to our programs and patients. Over the last three years our volunteer hours have increased
substantially.
2010 – 1826 volunteer hours
2011- 2195 volunteer hours
2012 – 2456 volunteer hours
Imagine where our programs would be without our volunteers and all of those hours that they have
….devoted to comforting and helping people when it is most needed. We have Hospice House volunteers, pet therapy, music therapy, palliative massage team for hospice house and the community to help
out. We have participated in a number of trade shows and community events to offer information and
education about our programs and services. These are always manned by volunteers. In addition to
these roles, our board of directors and committee members are volunteers. Hospice House, our community program and the Bereavement Center would not be able to function without all of these great
people.
April 21-27 is National Volunteer Appreciation week. Please stay tuned for events and celebrations. It
is a pleasure and honor to work with all of these amazing people.
Linda Brooks
Christmas seems like a long time back already.
Our “Celebrate A Life” campaign was once
again a successful event. Many thanks to everyone that participated in the 2012 campaign. The
board members volunteered their time setting up
& taking down the trees as
well as supervising each
day of the campaign. To
all those that donated their
time at our booth - many
thanks! We couldn’t have
done it without you.
Bouquets
To the staff and volunteers
that work at the Care Closet
at 574 Main Street. What a
great job you all do! Please
keep the Care Closet in mind when doing your
spring cleaning…..gently used clothing, nick
knacks, small appliances would be appreciated . The profits from sales are shared equally
between the Penticton & District Hospice
Society, Auxiliary to Penticton Regional
Hospital and the Medical Foundation.
Always… so many thanks to the wonderful
staff and volunteers in Moog & Friends
Hospice House.
Penticton & District Hospice
Society
Board of Directors
2012 - 2013
Dave Head - Chair
Ron Arsenault - Vice Chair
Bob Kittle - Treasurer
Carmen Eberle - Secretary
Joyce Tymm
Dr. Elizabeth Landecker
Nick Bevanda
Patti Skinner
Bill Everden
Warm welcome to new board members
Ron Sylvester and
Dr. Alan Nixon – Medical Director of
Palliative Care
Andrea Turner - Social Worker
Tania Linning - Community Integration
Care Coordinator
Leaving the board last November were
Doug Stratton, Ruth Sawyer and Laurie
Sylvester. Their commitment, input and
expertise was greatly appreciated and they
will be missed. Everyone wishes them all
the best in their new endeavors.
There is often a lightening of spirits once the sun returns to our valley. It is a time of growth
and beauty and it seems a bit easier to have moments of hope. And that is what I strive to touch on in
this newsletter, the idea of hope and the many ways that we can support each other both in the
moments of growth and the moments of bleakness.
When someone we love is dying or we are going through the process of bereavement, it can
seem that life is overwhelming and our sense of stability and security and joy has faded. At those
moments, many people struggle with understanding what hope is and even perhaps feeling it is something that only exists for other people and is a part of our history, not our present or our future. Thankfully, that is not the case. When someone we love is dying, we can hope for comfort even when we
feel bereft of such a sensation ourselves. When we are grieving, we can hope for days of meaning and
peace even as we doubt the ongoing existence of such qualities in this world.
In addition to hope being part of our thoughts and feelings, it can also be sustained or even
created by those around us. That is why at this time of year, I want to remind people of some upcoming moments of tribute. April 5th is Caregiver Day and the week of May 5-11 is National Hospice
Palliative Care Week. These two instances are ways that we, as a society, can contribute to the fostering of an environment of hope through the gifts of acknowledgement and support. If we know someone who is a caregiver, can we offer help to lighten their burden? Or for people who are dying, or our
many grievers, is there any way we can offer some strength or kindness to allow them the opportunity
to feel hope?
Here at Hospice one of the ways that we offer support to those who are grieving is to hold an
annual Memorial Tribute welcoming all those who have lost loved ones in the past year through our
Palliative Program. This year we are holding it on Friday, June 7th and we intend it to be a time of
comfort and community.
I wish a beautiful spring and summer for us all. May it be filled with moments of joy and
peace and beautiful growth. And wherever possible, may it also be filled with opportunities to support
each other through any of life’s many difficult moments.
Andrea Turner
M.S.W. R.S.W.
Make sure your membership is up to date! The fee for the year is $10.00 or $100.00 for a lifetime
membership. The $10.00 fee is annual and payable at the AGM. (November to November) New members
are always welcome. You may use the form below. Please make cheques payable to the Penticton &
District Hospice Society. Donations can be made on line @ www.pentictonhospice.com.
Penticton & District Hospice Society
P. O. Box 1105
Penticton, BC V2A 6J9 Phone (250) 492-9071 (ext 2828)
Name____________________________________ Membership Fee Enclosed ________________
Address __________________________________Voluntary Donation Enclosed _____________
Please let us know if we may call upon you to serve in any of the following areas:
Volunteer Program_______ Board of Directors______ Celebrate A Life Booth (Xmas only) ______
Donations Received “In Memory Of”
BACH, JOHN
BALL, WILLIAM (BILL)
BERRY, PETER
BRUMMELHUIS, DINY
BUCHKOWSKY, MIKE
CAMPBELL, IRENE
COLLINS, JESSIE GRAEME
COLQUHOUN, BARBARA
CORSCADDEN, AL
CULLEN, WALTRAUT
DALRYMPLE, LOIS
DAMIAN, MAGDELINA
DAVIDSON, ALAN
DOYLE, RUSSELL
DUNCAN, MARGARET
EPP, CHRIS
FIRTL, JUDITH
FISHER, LEONARD (LEN)
FOSTER, KEITH
FULTON, CRAIG
GIBBS, MARTIN
HAMILTON, JEAN
HAMRE, ISABELLA (BELLE)
HARRIS, CAROL
HERINGA, PETRUS
HOLLETT, EDWARD (ED)
HUBICK, ERNEST
HUGGINS, BERT
JACQUES, ELSIE & ARTHUR
JACUK, RITA
KANAYAMA, MITS
LAIDMAN, ALAN
LANDRIAULT, ROBERT (AL)
LANNON, EVA
LIVINGSTON, ROBERT (BOB)
LOUWE, JOHANNA
LOUWE, PETER
MALLAN, JAMES
MARSTON, FREDA
MEAD, ANNE
MENZIES, ALLAN
MILLER, ALBERT
MYERS, RANDY
NELSON, DORIS
NICHOLSON, MARJORIE (HELEN)
PARISIEN, BERTHA
PEACOCK, MYRNA ELEANOR
PFEIFER, JOANN
PIETZKA, HELMUT
PUGH, MARGARET & DOUGLAS
RYAN, GAIL
SHEPHERD, GLORIA
SWADDEN, HENRY
SYER, SANDI
TATE, ROBERT
THOMAS, GORDON
WALKER, BRUCE
WATERS, PHYLLIS
WILLIAMS, ELFED
WILLIAMS, JOAN
WILLIAMSON, JESSIE
WOOD, ERIC
YESKE, HUBERT
HOSPICE GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGES ALL DONATIONS
Bereavement Resource Centre
Spring Program Calendar
Upcoming
Conversations about Grief & Loss
Tuesdays
Seniors’ Drop-In Centre
2965 South Main St., Penticton
Please call to register: 250-490-1107
Facilitator: Sam (Sandra) Lucier
Support Referral Service
Assistance in identifying and choosing from available
support services to meet individual needs. Drop
in or make an appointment.
Pet Loss Grief Support
Please call 250-490-1107
Ongoing
Weekly Grief Support Drop-In
Sessions
When Someone You Love Is Dying
Every Friday morning 10:30 am 626 Martin St.
Please call for more information or to indicate
This group will explore a variety of teachings that are attendance. 250-490-1107
aimed at supporting individuals who are facing the loss
of a loved one. 1:00-2:00 p.m., 2nd Tuesday of each
Tuesdays at Chestnut Place 453
month. 626 Martin St. Penticton
Winnipeg St. Please call for more information
Please call 250-490-1107 for more information.
or to indicate attendance. 250-490-1107
Conversations on Death & Dying
Every Wednesday evening 6:30 pm.
626 Martin St. Please call for more information
If you need to come to terms with how to talk about
or to indicate attendance. 250-490-1107
your end of life decisions; this may help you get started. Please call for more information or to
Volunteer Training Session
register: 250-490-1107
Lending Library
Books, DVDs, readings on a broad spectrum of types
and issues surrounding loss – available for borrowing.
Centre Drop-In Hours
Tuesday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Appointments available if these times are not
suitable.
Those interested in volunteering with the
Hospice-Palliative Care Program and/or the
Bereavement Resource Centre should contact
the Volunteer Coordinator at 250-488-1311.
Bereavement Resource Centre
626 Martin Street, Penticton
(250) 490-1107
www.pentictonbereavementresources.com
On the lighter side – straight from the email bag …... “Why I owe my Mother”
My Mother taught my irony -”Keep crying & I’ll give you something to cry about”
My Mother taught me contortion-ism - “Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck.”
My Mother taught me Stamina - “You’ll sit there until all that spinach is gone”
My Mother taught me about weather - “This room of yours looks like a tornado went through it.”
My Mother taught me about hypocrisy - “If I told you once, I’ve told you a million times, don’t
exaggerate.”
My Mother taught me the circle of life - “I brought you into this world and I can take you out”
My Mother taught me about choice - “Do you want me to stop this car.”
My Mother taught me about anticipation - “Just wait until we get home.”
My Mother taught me about receiving - “You are going to get it when you get home”
My Mother taught be about medical science - “If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they’re going
to get stuck that way.”
My Mother taught me wisdom - “When you get to be my age, you’ll understand.”
My Mother taught me about roots - “Shut that door. Do you think you were born in a barn?”
One has to be a certain age to appreciate the humor in these…………..