Mark your Calendars! Hike for Hospice 2023 is going to be in person this year for the first time since 2019! The Hike will take place at Auk’s Lodge Fleming College, 200 Albert St S. Lindsay, on May 7^th 2023. Sign in opens at 11 am and the walk will begin approximately 1 pm.

Our Hike will kick off National Hospice Week, which runs this year from May 7^th to May 14^th.

REGISTER A TEAM OR MAKE A DONATION AT HIKEFORHOSPICE.CA!

The loss of a loved one is the toughest day in the lives of many. When that day comes, Hospice Services is there to offer support to help you, your family and your friends through that difficult journey. Our Care Companions and Grief Guides invest in meaningful and personal relationships to support over 850 individuals in their homes, at Hospice, and on the Palliative Care unit at Ross Memorial Hospital.

We are also excited to announce that we will be again hosting our annual Volunteer Appreciation Day this June. Stay turned for more information!

Nordic Pole Walking is one of the fastest-growing low-impact exercises. It has been shown to burn more energy than regular walking, uses 90 per cent of the body’s muscles, and is a great social activity. We offer free sessions that are led by certified instructors. The Pole Walking begins Friday, May 19th at Nayoro Park in Lindsay from 9 am until 10 am. This program runs every Friday morning until the end of September. Bobcaygeon’s program begins Tuesday, May 23rd at Wilderness Park from 9 am until 10 am. The Pole Walking in Bobcaygeon runs every Tuesday morning until the end of September. No registration is required! For more information, contact 705-324-7323 ext 165 or wellness@ccckl.ca.

Bobcaygeon Pickleball has moved to the Curling Club! Throughout the spring and summer, Pickleball has moved to 49 Mansfield St.

Pickleball is a court game that is a cross between tennis, badminton and table tennis. It can be played indoors or out, on a badminton-sized court with a plastic wiffle ball and paddles similar to those used in racquetball. Those looking to get or keep active throughout the year are encouraged to try this fun, recreational activity!

No pre-registration required. Cost is just $3 per person and your first visit is free!

Join us Tuesday, June 13th from 11 am until 1 pm at the Fenelon Falls Community Centre to celebrate this past year’s wellness programs including SAGES, Pickleball, cooking classes, walking groups, support groups, etc. Come and learn what the community has to offer, enjoy lunch and engage with community.

To RSVP, please contact 705-324-7323 ext 165 or wellness@ccckl.ca

We would like to extend a warm and heartfelt thank you to Crayola for their craft box donation to our Adult Day Program. Our clients have enjoyed using these Crayola craft boxes to build all kinds of beastly models!

We would also like to thank Joanna for donating supplies for our Fenelon Falls Adult Day Program. Our clients got to celebrate the arrival of spring and decorate colourful Easter decorations as a group.

Thank you for these thoughtful and generous donations!

Visit our website or call 705-324-7323 to learn more about our Adult Day Program.

Hospice Services recently held Core training for our volunteers interested in supporting clients and caregivers with life limiting illness, end of life and grief.

The new recruits are a keen and enthusiastic group who are looking forward to using their new knowledge to support our clients. Congratulations and thank you to the team for their support and dedication to the training program!

Congratulations to all participants!

This past week weekend our team at Community Care had the opportunity to attend the Kawartha County Living Show in Fenelon Falls, where record numbers were expected to attend. Community Care had the opportunity to reach out and speak directly with approximately 220 members of our community and share information about our services and how to get involved as a volunteer.

We couldn’t have asked for a better weekend, and are hopeful we made an impact. Thank you to everyone that came out!

Whether you’re just starting out as a caregiver, or you are well versed, there’s a lot to know and learn. So much so that you might feel overwhelmed or unable to move forward.

Join us to connect with others who share similar experiences, to explore the challenges of caregiving, to practice self care, to gain and share new knowledge and skills, and for support. Caregiving responsibilities often increase and change as your loved one’s needs increase, which may result in additional strain on the caregiver. Caregivers can be unpaid family members or friends, and these informal or unpaid caregivers are the backbone of care provided in people’s homes. We are here to support you. Our Caregiver Support groups meet the 2^nd and 4^th Wednesday of the month.

Please call Hospice Services at 705-879-4123 ext 500 for more information and to sign up for our support groups.

Advance care planning workbooks are available at Hospice Services or you can visit www.advancecareplanningontario.ca for more information.

Hospice Services is here to help. When you reach out to us, you will find a comforting place, specialized programs and highly trained people to help transform hurt into hope. Visit our website or call us at 705-879-4123 to learn more about our Hospice Services. 

We believe that feedback, both positive and negative, about your experience as a client or caregiver with Community Care City of Kawartha Lakes will help us to improve care and the services that we offer.

Check out our new online feedback form at https://ccckl.ca/contact/feedback/ and help us improve our services!

My name is Ryan Alexander and on April 1^st I became Community Care’s fourth CEO in our 38 year history (April 26, 1985). As Barb Mildon mentioned in her sign-off letter at the end of March, I now have the privilege of following some amazing leaders who, over the course of nearly four decades, have led Community Care to where it stands today. First by Valmay Barkey, our founder and leader for Community Care’s first 26 years of existence. She laid a solid foundation for Community Care to flourish as she envisioned neighbours helping neighbours to stay well. From 2011 to 2018, Community Care was led by Cathy Danbrook who facilitated important expansion. Finally, Barb, who from 2018 until March of this year has helped position us for success with the Kawartha Lakes Ontario Health Team and got shovels into the ground with our Community Health Centre building project. It is incredible what these women have given to our community and how they have positioned Community Care to care for and support people living in the City of Kawartha Lakes. I am honoured to receive the torch from Barb, someone who has been a mentor to me ever since her arrival at Community Care.

Here is a little bit about myself. First and foremost, the City of Kawartha Lakes is ‘home’ for me. With the exception of a few years of my adult life. This is where my roots have always been embedded. Given this, I have a deep commitment to ensuring that Community Care continues to flourish and offer the highest quality care and support for our community. 

My passion for community health began over a decade ago when I worked with Niagara Region Public Health. Not only did this experience help me appreciate the impact that program and policy decisions have on individuals, but it also enhanced my understanding of broader population health considerations. This experience has certainly influenced the my career and the lens through which I see the world.

With 10 years at Community Care, I have had the privilege of leading a variety of roles. From each role I bring a depth of knowledge and many experiences into this new CEO role. I have an appreciation of the impact that the social determinants of health have on people and communities. We must ensure that supports consider the most vulnerable in our communities. I understand Community Care, our services, and people. We are a multifaceted organization and together we will continue to remain responsive to the community’s needs. Finally, I’d like to mention our values: Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence. To me those are expectations you can have of myself and our teams. Our values inspire every action that we take here at Community Care.

The timing of my assignment as CEO aligns with the rollout of our new strategic plan: The Road Ahead (2023-2026). With input from our community and stakeholders, this plan will be our beacon for the coming years. It will guide us into our stage one of our new permanent home, a purpose-built building at 21 Angeline St. N. (across from the Ross Memorial Hospital). The plan will ensure that we remain leaders at the Kawartha Lakes Ontario Health Team table as the health care system faces new emerging challenges and opportunities. Most of all, the plan lays direction to support our people so we continue to be positioned to meet our community’s health needs.

After a relatively brief stint away from Community Care in 2022, I could not be more excited to be back connected to this organization. With the dedication of our amazing donors, volunteers and staff, I look forward to keeping Community Care vibrant and a part of the fabric of our community. 

Warmly,

Ryan