Lisa Calder is the coordinator of Desert Valley Hospice Society’s new Supportive Care Day Program. Photo by Keith Lacey
Being diagnosed with a terminal or life limiting illness is very difficult to cope with, but the Desert Valley Hospice Society (DVHS) will soon be offering a new program to help clients deal with many issues in a supportive environment.
The Supportive Care Day Program will see patients who have recently been diagnosed with serious illnesses such as cancer, Multiple Sclerosis or Parkinson’s Disease gather once every Thursday for eight consecutive weeks, said Lisa Calder, the program coordinator for DVHS.
“The program will provide an opportunity for individuals coping with terminal and life limiting illness to come together in a supportive environment,” said Calder.
The program will provide opportunities for socialization and meaningful interaction with people going through difficult times, it will provide tools for managing stress and quality of life as well as providing emotional and grief support to patients and their family members and caregivers, said Calder.
Those who enrol in the program will spend several hours each Thursday at the DVHS Supportive Care Centre on Jonagold Place in Osoyoos.
The clients will meet with DVHS staff, including Calder and registered care aides as well as a small group of volunteers.
The group will discuss such topics as exploring the impact of serious illness, how to best manage stress and coping with emotions, sharing hopes for living with grief and loss, communicating with family, friends and health care providers and accessing spiritual support and finding meaning in life and planning for the future, said Calder.
Besides sharing their life stories and diagnosis with serious illness, clients will also participate in relaxation and gentle movement, enjoy music and art, watch funny movies, play cards and games, partake in letter writing and journaling and any other activities participants might want to take part in, she said.
Many people who are diagnosed with serious illness tend to retreat into their own little world, but this program will allow them to share their worries and concerns with others going through the same thing and the intent is to provide therapeutic support, said Calder.
“Being diagnosed with terminal cancer or a serious illness like MS or Parkinson’s Disease is very difficult to deal with, but it doesn’t mean the end of life,” she said. “We want people going through this very difficult time in their life to know there is a program like this around to help them cope with what they’re going through and let them know there are others out there who are going through the same difficulties.
“By allowing them to meet and talk and have some fun, we believe this program can really make a difference in their quality of life. The program will provide a safe and supportive environment.”
Calder is hoping to recruit a small group of talented local artists and musicians who would be willing to donate their time and creative talents to the program.
The group will meet for five hours a day over eight consecutive weeks and the plan is to offer five, eight-week blocks with the Supportive Care Day Program each year, said Calder.
“Getting this program up and running will be a big part of my job over the next several months,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to it. I’m really looking forward to providing supports to people dealing with serious illness to try and improve their quality of life.”
There will be six to eight people accepted when the program begins in late September, said Calder.
“Our hope is to provide this service to clients in Osoyoos and Oliver,” she said. “We are finalizing arrangements with the Better at Home program to provide transport to anyone who needs it over the eight weeks.”
The board of directors with DVHS has been talking about starting up a program like this for many years and it’s very exciting to only be a couple of months away from offering a service that is much needed in this part of the South Okanagan, she said.
Calder has just completed a palliative massage course and will be able to offer relaxing massages to participants in the program, she said.
There is a small cost of $20 per week for this program to cover the costs, but $160 for eight weeks shouldn’t be an excessive burden for most participants, she said.
Desert Valley Hospice Society has a large and dedicated group of volunteers who assist in the operation of numerous programs, but more volunteers are always welcome.
“We’re very excited to be able to offer a program that is going to really make a difference in the lives of people going through a difficult time in their life,” she said.
Anyone wishing to sign up for the Supportive Care Day Program can contact Calder at 250-495-1590 or by email at [email protected].
By Keith Lacey
