Bertie Barens, a care aide, and Lisa Calder, program co-ordinator, held an open house Thursday at Desert Valley Hospice Society’s Supportive Care Centre in Osoyoos. They were talking with visitors about the Supportive Care Day Program and showing off the facility. (Richard McGuire photo)
So far, there have not been enough registrations to allow the Desert Valley Hospice Society (DVHS) to offer its new Supportive Care Day Program aimed at helping those who have been diagnosed with terminal and life limiting illnesses.
DVHS tried to change that by holding an open house last Thursday and organizers have another one planned for Nov. 17 at the DVHS Supportive Care Centre on Jonagold Place in Osoyoos.
The program, aimed at those diagnosed with such illnesses as cancer, multiple sclerosis, ALS or Parkinson’s disease, was originally planned to start in late September.
Lisa Calder, program co-ordinator at DVHS, said the society is looking for more registrants and it believes many people the program can benefit are out there.
“It’s a new program, so we’re trying to get it known,” said Calder. “Also, some people may have misconceptions about what types of support hospice offers. We’re looking to help support people to live and to enjoy life while they’re experiencing illness.”
People who can benefit from the Supportive Care Day Program aren’t necessarily in their final days or final weeks, she said.
“It can be much earlier,” she added.
Participants will meet for five hours each Thursday over eight consecutive weeks.
“We provide social, emotional and spiritual support, as well as activities for relaxation, decreasing pain and stress,” said Calder. “We provide lunch and snacks and socialization and companionship with other people who are going through similar challenges.”
Because it’s a day program, participants may still be semi-independent, but there is one care aide to provide assistance.
“We are able to provide some physical support if they are semi-mobile,” she said.
Although DVHS is not funded to provide hospice beds, it does have several rooms where families can stay when visiting loved ones who are receiving end-of-life care elsewhere.
The centre can provide relief for caregivers and it provides other assistance for family members of those who are terminally ill.
“We support the person who is experiencing the illness or their family members,” said Calder. “Sometimes they need a break … to get some errands done, knowing that their loved one is safe here in this environment with professional and volunteer hospice-trained caregivers.”
This relief may be provided for a few hours when the person with the illness is looked after on a one-on-one basis, or it may occur during the five-hour supportive care program.
The next open house is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. People can come by to learn more about DVHS services and the Supportive Care Day Program.
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
