Hospice Calgary has operated for over 30 years offering exceptional care, service, and education since 1987. They have a model of hospice care and community programming that is envied throughout the province, and a broad reach which includes both urban and rural clients of all ages. The Calgary Hospice promises to journey with people through end of life and grief, and have difficult conversations about death, dying, and mourning, while also hearing people’s unique stories and responding with compassion.
Hospice Calgary offers three centres of excellence:
- End of Life Care through Rosedale Hospice: a seven-bed, life-affirming alternative to hospitalization or dying at home, with care focusing on quality of life for adults with advanced cancer.
- Community-based palliative care through Living with Advanced Illness Centre: community-based counselling and group programming for clients living with any advanced illness and their loved ones.
- Child and Family Grief Counselling through the Children's Grief Centre: professional, specialized services for grieving children and teens in Southern Alberta who are facing a life-threatening illness or life after the death of someone in their lives.
The Living with Advanced Illness Centre (formerly known as Community Hospice Services) provides care beyond the bedside. Our population is aging, and more people than ever are living with life-threatening illnesses. Most Canadians want to play an active role in their care decisions. People (patients, families, and caregivers) dealing with life-threatening illness feel isolated, lonely, stressed, and afraid. Meeting the support needs of caregivers and people with life-threatening illness leads to improved quality of life for both patients and their families.
Living with Advanced Illness Centre programs include:
- Individual & Family Counselling
- The Living with Cancer Program – a peer support program for adults living with advanced cancer and their caregivers. Clients connect about the impact of their illness and ask questions of one another, guest speakers, volunteers, the Spiritual Care Coordinator, and the Medical Director. Their volunteers provide weekly check-ins outside of group sessions and were recognized in June 2021 by the Alberta Government’s Northern Lights Volunteer Recognition Program. One person accessing the Living with Cancer Program remarked, “I have been attending the Living with Cancer Program and the connection is essential for my mental well being.”
- The Dying To Know Education Series – open to anyone interested in topics related to death and dying. Interactive sessions provide information on preparing for end-of-life, offer strategies for staying resilient through challenging times, and help caregivers to become more confident in their roles. According to one participant: “Things have felt so heavy lately. I now feel really validated in all that I have been experiencing in my caregiver role. I am now also feeling very optimistic that I can make changes to honour myself.”
- The Volunteer Telephone Bereavement Support Program – available to clients following the death of a loved one. Volunteers, typically bereaved individuals themselves, provide consistent telephone support to clients. They offer support with guidance from counselling staff and speak as people who truly understand what it is like to lose a loved one. These conversations offer great solace to those in need.
The Viewpoint Foundation has been a significant supporter of the Living with Advanced Illness Centre for many years. Additionally, Susan Van Wielingen has been a dedicated volunteer at Calgary Hospice and has been a strong supporter of their programs.