A talk on the end of life care was given by Janet Shaw from Desert Valley Hospice Society at the Oliver Women’s Institute meeting held April 13 at Oliver Lutheran Centre.
Janet was one of the founding members and has first-hand knowledge about this situation that all of us are faced with in our own lives.
The society was formed back in 2005 and is a non-profit group under the Societies Act.
To begin with they were raising money for hospice beds for Oliver and Osoyoos, but it became very clear that we needed trained volunteers to help people in their homes as Interior Health is expecting a big increase of seniors dying and many wish to stay in their own homes.
The vision of care is to help educate people, advocacy, help for people grieving, and palliative care.
We are able to use Moog Hospice House and two beds available at South Okanagan General Hospital for palliative care.
They have already trained 35 volunteers for 36 hours and need many more; usually eight people at a time. Membership has grown to 120 at $10 a year.
Recently the society has been able to lease a property at 22 Jonagold Place in Osoyoos which was designed for caring for the elderly with 10 rooms. Two suites are available for relatives from out of town, who pay by donation.
The office is open 20 hours a week (250-495-1590), and they have a daycare program.
With our aging population there is an expected increase of 30 per cent of those dying by 2020.
Janet also stressed the need to let your relatives know what you would like if you are suddenly unable to speak. Tell them what music you like, what visitors you want, what books and poetry you like, and what food, etc.
Ruth read a poem, “Just for Today,” and I read a prayer written years ago by a Second World War lady; trying to find out who she was.
We sent Delores McNee to be our proxy; the BC Women’s Institute AGM was held in Quesnel May 1-2.
We drew up an agenda for our SOSWI district AGM to be held May 11 at Oliver Lutheran Centre (basement). Registration starts at 9 a.m.
We will have two guest speakers, a lunch, followed by a memoriam and a report from Delores about the BC Women’s Institute AGM.
Visitors are welcome, but please contact me (Helen) at 250-498-4705.
(Submitted by Helen Overnes, president of the Oliver Women’s Institute.)
