December PCSBV Newsletter 2022

The PCSBV Bulletin

December 2022

From Our Hearts to Yours

On behalf of the Board, many volunteers, and the staff of the Palliative Care Society of the Bow Valley, I want to convey our heartfelt best wishes to you for the coming holiday season! As I complete my first few months in the role as CEO, I am constantly inspired by the care and compassion our Bow Valley community brings to one another. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we are able to train an ever growing group of volunteers to support more people in the palliative journey. Together with our partners, we are privileged to walk alongside these individuals, their families and friends - living their lives, through joyful moments and painful ones.

As I reflect back on 2022, I am honoured to have the opportunity to work within this community, alongside a talented and dedicated team.

Thank you and best wishes from our PCSBV family.

~ Theresa Radwell, CEO

2022 Year in Review

More than 350 Participants 5 SPEAKERS EVENTS

PCSBV Speakers Series Presentations

In April, we launched In Person Weekly Drop-in Grief Support services in Banff and expanded to Canmore in November.

Welcomed national and international expertise with Dr. Kathryn Mannix, Dr. Sammy Winemaker, and Dr. Hsien Seow

ANNUAL HIKE FOR HOSPICE

3500+ hours of service from dedicated and passionate volunteers and board members

$11,450+ 110 PARTICIPANTS AND

24 ONGOING COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

Launched a weekly online drop-in grief support group service in March.

Welcomed new Office Coordinator Pauline Giglio in August.

ANNUAL GOLF FOR HOSPICE

Welcomed new CEO Theresa Radwell in September.

$75,000 + $12,000 In-Kind 100 PARTICIPANTS

We successfully reached our 2023 volunteer training goal in 2022!

Launched Wednesday Grief Support Walking Group in September with 60 participants

46 training sessions in 2022 33 PCSBV volunteers received training 43 non-PCSBV volunteers from across Alberta

GR I EF SUPPORT

Bill Harder, Palliative and Grief Support Navigator, welcomes clients at the Banff Canmore Community Foundation, 214 Banff Avenue, and in Canmore at #202-1080 Railway Avenue (above Sports Experts). IN-PERSON GRIEF SUPPORT VISITS

By appointment throughout the week.

We are once again participating in the Annual Festival of Trees located at the Malcolm Hotel, Canmore. The tree is on display until December 31, 2022. Thank you to Ingrid and Rob Currie for sponsoring this year's tree. Proceeds from the Festival will go to worthy causes across our community. To attend and get more info on this event, please go to Rotary Club of Canmore.

Canmore Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Banff on Wednesdays 9:00 am to noon.

INDOOR GRIEF SUPPORT WALKING GROUP - CANMORE Email Bill at bill.harder@pcsbv.ca. PLEASE NOTE: BILL WILL BE AWAY FROM THE OFFICE DEC. 26-30.)

Wednesdays | 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm (Dec, Jan, Feb, March)

The Canmore Grief Support Walking Group is inside at the Canmore Recreation Centre - 1900-8th Ave. Meet in the Canmore Recreation Centre lobby .

OUR VOLUNTEER TRA INING

Fill out Rec. Centre Waiver here.

Volunteer Training – Self Care Module December 12 | 9:30 am - 12:00 pm Zoom link required. Click HERE to register.

There is no fee to join this drop-in grief conversation group . It's open to all 18+ who are grieving. We will walk and chat for about 30 minutes and then stop for a guided conversation on the themes of loss and grief. Please direct any questions to Bill Harder at bill.harder@pcsbv.ca. PLEASE NOTE: THE WALKING GROUP WILL BE ON HOLD THE WEEK AFTER CHRISTMAS.

Is it time to renew or purchase a Society Membership?

Individual Membership one year - $40.00

Learn more here

[PURCHASE]

NOVEMBER 9 - SPEAKER SERIES

PCSBV Upcoming BLUE MONDAY EVENT

We thank everyone who was able to join us for this engaging and important conversation with Dr. Sammy Winemaker. We invite you to visit our website, pcsbv.ca or follow us on social media, to stay up to date on our future speaker events and other activities into 2023. We hope you can join us for future events!

Dr. Samantha Winemaker Co-host of the podcast The Waiting Room Revolution.

The video from the event is now available and can be viewed HERE.

JANUARY 16, 2023

Key takeaways from Dr. Winemaker

TIME: 7 PM

LOCATION: TBA

BLue DETAILS:

BLue

Come dressed for the weather.

We are gathering to give voice to losses from the last year, death and non-death losses.

More information forthcoming in

the January Newsletter.

Learn more about the history of Blue Monday

GIFT IDEAS

Give Comfort in the Present

You can never go wrong with giving someone a gift that will help them feel loved and comforted. A person who is on a journey with a life-limiting illness, especially if they are confined to a small space or a bed for most of the day, might appreciate comfortable clothes, warm blankets, easy snacks to eat, etc. to help them feel better. It’s a good idea to ask them what they want or need to get them something that is desirable to them. Gifts don’t always need to be tangible, however. Spending time with your special someone and enjoying the moments you have together can show them you care and want to be there for them during this time. Some ideas for consideration are bringing them a playlist of their favorite songs and listening to music together. Offering to do something for them such as bringing their pet for a visit if it is permitted. Additionally, bringing them a collection of photographs and/or videos and spend some time together reminiscing about life and the fun times. These sorts of gifts can add a little bit of joy to an otherwise difficult and lonely time.

For People at the End-of-Life

As the holiday season rolls around, many of us get into the spirit of giving. We want to give to the people that are special to us to show them how much we care and appreciate them. When someone is in good health, gift ideas are endless. But what if we have a special friend or family member who is in hospice or near the end of their life? What kind of gifts are appropriate in these circumstances? It depends on the person and what could be meaningful to them. There are many things we can give from creating family heirlooms, to giving them things that will provide them comfort in their remaining days, to giving them peace of mind knowing those they care about will be cared for in the future after they are gone.

Capture the Memories

Imagine giving the gift of remembrance to the one you love. For example, there is a website called The Canada International Star Registry where you can give the gift of naming a star in your special person’s name. You might have heard of this before and it’s a nice gift to give to someone while they are living. These also come with the options to write a special message to them as well. Perhaps there is a special piece of jewelry that your person has or one you can create, such as, a pendant or ring that contains the birthstones of you and your special person and whoever else is meaningful in their life. Engrave it in memory of your loved one. You can create new heirlooms as well, which can be a meaningful gift. Memory quilts make good heirlooms as well as handcrafted art and family photo albums. It's anything you think would make a good treasure to pass down to the next generations.

Prepare for the End

If your loved one’s life-limiting illness diagnosis was sudden, perhaps they weren’t prepared and hadn’t done any estate planning. Imagine the extra stress that could add to your person’s life. A wonderful, yet practical gift would be to help them with their final affairs. Anything from getting them in touch with lawyers to work on their will and final wishes to covering all the costs of funeral expenses, etc. if that is something you can afford. This can go a long way in easing their mind of the affects their death will have on their own loved ones. Think about the person who you are giving a gift to and make your decision to give them something of value depending on their needs, wants and circumstances. The holiday season can be a wonderful opportunity to make someone feel comforted and treasured.

Consider us in your year-end giving plan!

In 2022, we continued to build our foundations toward a patient-focused future vision for palliative care support in our community, including our long- term goal for a rural residential hospice home in the Bow Valley. We have seen an increase in demand for our services to individuals and, more recently, organizations. Bill Harder, our Palliative and Grief Support Navigator, has been bringing the palliative care and end-of-life conversation to new people in new places, including care settings, workplaces, and community gatherings. Additionally, he has begun regular client hours in Banff bringing our grief and loss support services to more individuals across the region. This outreach to individuals closer to their home will continue into the coming year. We offers essential programs and services to those in our community experiencing life-altering circumstances, including diagnoses, chronic conditions, and grief. Your generosity has enabled us to provide much- needed support and solace to meet the needs of families. With our valued partners across the region, we ensure individuals and families can navigate the palliative care system smoothly. The work of the Palliative Care Society of the Bow Valley (PCSBV) begins to unfold as we gently step into the spaces of people’s lives after a diagnosis, and into the very human work of dying. When the path is uncertain, we walk alongside those in this transformational journey to find a way forward.

There is much more work to do with our community. Every dollar you donate builds on the work we continue to deliver. Please consider making a donation.

WAYS TO GIVE!

General Donations are directed towards the area of greatest need to support our programs and services Tributes honour a family member, friend, or loved one. Building donations support creating a residential hospice home accessible to the Bow Valley community. Monthly donations will ensure constant support throughout the years.

Donations of $25 or more will receive a charitable receipt.

DONATE

Click on the link >>>

Online at www.pcsbv.ca and click on the “Donate” button.

Send a cheque to:

Palliative Care Society of the Bow Valley, PO Box, 40113, Canmore Crossing, Canmore, AB, T1W 3H9.

For more information contact Kristin Fry, Fund Development at fd@pcsbv.ca or call (403) 707-7633