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Physician Advocates
for
Excellence in  Hospice Care
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| Dr. Doug Armstrong: "Death is not to be feared but to be prepared for." |
Dr. Doug Armstrong's message for World hospice & palliative care day (October 10, 2015) is simple:
"Let us work together to create a world-class-quality end-of-life care for those we serve."
Based on a love for his fellow human beings, Dr. Doug's philosophy and life work has been to provide compassionate health care "from cradle to the grave". As part of his medical practice, his home visits to the dying included the daily analysis of medication for pain relief, amongst other things. He greatly respects and was inspired by the work of colleague, Dr. Helen Hays (co-founder of Pilgrims Hospice), as she pioneered palliative health care and held the vision for a free-standing residential hospice in Edmonton.
Dr. Doug is a board member of Pilgrims Hospice and as a retired family physician, lends insight and passion to our vision and mission. He is a firm advocate for home-like residential hospice, believing that costly active hospitals are not the best setting for optimal end-of -life care.
According to Dr. Doug, death is not to be feared but an event for which we should all prepare.
Knowing that we can't stop people dying,
"we can ensure that all persons are able to receive excellent and compassionate end-of -life care and help them be more comfortable in their dying".
If we provide this kind of care in the community, Dr. Doug believes, "there would be a much reduced, if any, call for
euthanasia". |
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Sunflower Highlights
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Dr. Helen Hays brought
radiance to our annual Sunflower Luncheon,
September
25, 2015.
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Executive Director, Deb Birkett, noted: "It was nice to see so many new friends of Hospice join us, and to experience the hotel ballroom full of sharing and caring people".
Rayne Johnson and Jesse McElheran added poignancy to the luncheon, with their heartfelt talks on Doing Deathcare Differently, and Love Stories in Grief.
You can read Jesse's Love Stories in Grief here.
Thanks to
the generosity of our luncheon sponsor, Christenson Group of Companies, and so many more of you, we raised $30,000 to sustain our programs & services in the community.
Thank you all!
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Newsletter Ideas?
Do you have ideas for the newsletter, or an article you'd like to submit?
We'd love to hear from you!
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Contact Us
If you'd like more information about any of our services, for yourself or a loved one, please fill out our
Service Request Form
here or call us at
780-413-9801
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Help others know
about our news, events, and vital work in the community.
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Several people have recently asked us the difference between palliative care and hospice.
Palliative care comes from the original Latin word "palliate" to "cover" or "mask" - and hence to relieve pain and symptoms. Hospice, derived from "hospes" and "hospitium", describes a "place of refuge for weary or sick travellers seeking rest on life's journey".
British physician and founder of the modern day hospice, Dame Cicely Saunders, was the one who first emphasized that the needs of the dying were very different from those who require acute care. She believed what they needed was a peaceful, calm surrounding where they and their families could be together, spending their last days or weeks, free of tests, procedures and technology, alert yet as free of pain as possible.
In the Difference between Palliative care and Hospice, Nancy Yurkovich shows that the terms are often used interchangeably, and the line between them may be blurred. She also notes that it is crucial to acknowledge that through most of the course of terminal illness, "hope rests in the promise of medical science to alter the course of disease and prolong life".
Yurkovich goes on to say that when
"nothing more can be done", new meaning of hope is needed.
"At end of life, hospice is offered as sanctuary, where the contribution of science is valued but does not dominate. Away from the busyness of the hospital, there is time for thanksgiving and final reunion. Through relationship, guests of the hospice, their families and health professionals are reminded of their shared humanity and the mystery of life and death. It is here that the possibility exists for a gentle closure to life."
Read the full article by Nancy Yurkovich here.
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Enthusiastic New Volunteers!
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| Feedback from our volunteer training: "Fantastic!" & "Terrific!" |
In September, 2015, an amazing group of 16 volunteers went through our 26-hour training program, to obtain their Certificate for the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association. Training was facilitated by Pilgrims Hospice staff. The new volunteers came prepared with life experience, thoughtful questions & observations, team collaboration, and earnest learning skills. They are eager to become Compassionate Companions; Expressive Arts facilitators with children, teen and parents; Day Program Assistants - or anything else we may need. "The training was a wonderful experience and I learned a great deal", was a comment from one volunteer. Others said the training was "fantastic!" and "terrific!". We think you are fantastic and terrific too, and have nominated you as our Volunteers of the Month! Welcome to our Pilgrims Hospice Community - we look forward to working alongside you. Click here to Volunteer at Pilgrims Hospice, or contact Debby Harink, Manager, Volunteer Services at 780-413-9801.
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...We have exciting plans for Giving Tuesday! ..... ........Learn more in our next newsletter.... |
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Our Funding
In 2014 we received 12.2% of our funding from the government, through our Partnership with Alberta Health Services - so Foundation Grants, Donations (both Individual & Corporate) and our fundraising efforts are vital to our existence.
Please support our Programs with your donation, or participation in our Special Events.
You Can Make a Difference for those facing the end of life, their caregivers, and the bereaved.
Click the following links to:
THANK YOU!
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