Supportive Care
The Supportive Care Committee works at enhancing the hospice environment where the Patient and their family feel wrapped in a circle of holistic supportive care.
Palliative Care Resources
When a Patient’s condition is deemed as incurable, and their care transitions from acute to palliative, there is a shift that is a monumental one for the Patient and their Family. Heartland Hospice Moose Jaw want to offer some resources to support that shift in moving from curative to comfort care. This Palliative Care Resource Handbook was created to offer information resources to better understand and navigate the holistic needs and care of the Patient as they journey the final chapter of their life.
Heartland Hospice Moose Jaw Inc. works collaboratively with both the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) on initiatives to support the delivery of patient and family-centered care within palliative hospice care.
To access the Palliative and Hospice Program and Services for the Moose Jaw and surrounding area, please click the link below.
https://www.fhhr.ca/PalliativeCare.htm
Bereavement Resources
Grief is a natural part of the palliative journey for the Patient and their Family, and is not reserved for end-of-life alone, but a part of each symptom, diagnosis, and shift throughout the final chapter of the Patient’s life. Since the processing of losses can be an integral part of acceptance and peace, Heartland Hospice Moose Jaw offer this Bereavement Resource Handbook to support the emotional journey of the Patient and their family from Anticipated Mourning to Bereavement to the Hope that is possible by doing the healing griefwork.
Care for the Caregiver Resources
While the Hospice Patient is receiving holistic care to support their end-of-life days, Heartland Hospice wants to honour the role of the Family Caregivers and offer resources to support their wellbeing. There can be a high toll on the Caregiver, and so we offer this “Care for the Caregiver Handbook” which highlights the value of self care for their body, mind and spirit and offers information resources for all.
Journaling the Story of My Life
It is natural at the end of life to experience a “Life Review”, and it can be a very cathartic process for the Patient to journal (or have someone scribe) the story of their life. It is not only a healing journey for the Patient, but can be a very healing and insightful experience for the Family. Heartland Hospice offers this Journaling tool with “prompts” to support the telling and memorializing of the Patient’s story.
Spiritual Care Resources
The holistic wellbeing of the Heartland Hospice Patients and their Families is our highest priority; therefore, supporting spiritual care and connections to those resources that nurture spirit is seen as invaluable. We would like to offer some suggestions on ways to honour the needs of the spirit of the Patient and their Family through this Spiritual Care Resource.
Comfort Choir
Comfort choirs are small groupings of 3-4 singers who share their gift of music at the bedside of patients in palliative care, hospice, care homes as well as in their own home. Moose Jaw is blessed to have one such Comfort Choir. They are available to visit Heartland Hospice upon request, and have a large repertoire of secular and spiritual favourites to draw upon, offering their gentle presence and soothing music to the patient’s side.
“It’s just a lovely type of gift we hope to be able to offer people who are facing some challenges,” said Tara Gish, coordinator of the Comfort Choir. “We certainly want to be patient-centered and responsive to what patients want to hear. But of course, the whole idea is that it’s not entertainment, it’s an offering of a gift.”
~Tara Blanche Gish Nov. 30, 1955 – July 22, 2021 – Founding Member of the Comfort Choir
Once COVID restrictions are lifted, the Comfort Choir will be available to share their gift of music by contacting:
Joan Stumborg at 306-630-5249
“Music has healing power.
It has the ability to take people
out of themselves for a little while.”
Elton John
Jones My Wish Program
The ‘Jones My Wish’ Program is coordinated by Heartland Hospice Moose Jaw to assist terminally ill individuals who are seeking peace and closure with the realization of a final wish. Wishes are intended to be simple and carry little cost, but be rich in meaning for patients, families, and health care providers. Heartland Hospice Moose Jaw has partnered with other community agencies and sponsors to make an individual’s wish come true.
W. J. Jones & Son Funeral Home
Jones Funeral Home has been in the community of Moose Jaw since 1940 and has a reputation for excellence in our community. Their motto is ‘Honoring Lives & Healing Hearts’ and this is what they continually demonstrate. We are so pleased to announce W.K. Jones and Son Funeral Home as a ‘Partner’ Donor of $50,000. With this donation, they are now the sponsors of our ‘My Wish’ program making it the ‘Jones My Wish’ program. They also received a giclee canvas reproduction of ‘Petals of Hope’ in gratitude for their donation.
A few words from W. J. Jones & Son Funeral Home:
“Jones Funeral Home believes in the importance of Heartland Hospice in the community and the amazing benefits it will bring to families and our community.
We decided to support Heartland Hospice simply because we strongly believe how impactful this organization will be to the community and we wanted to show our support and appreciation for all the hard work this organization has done to make this a reality.
We value all the organization does but if we have to choose one it would be advocacy. Compassion and empathy in dying are important.
Hospice care is multi-dimensional end-of-life care where there is an understanding not only of clinical and physical care but also emotional care, along with social and spiritual needs. All are very important in order to provide dignity in dying. Everyone is different and each of these needs matter.
As the longest-running funeral home in Moose Jaw, we have met with a number of families and we hear the gratitude in families’ voices when their loved one passed on with dignity, respect, and compassion. This is truly a priceless gift a family can receive.
All of us at W.J. Jones are incredibly proud to support the My Wish program and look forward to the partnership with Heartland Hospice.”
To learn more about W. J. Jones & Son Funeral Home please visit https://www.jonesparkview.com
CELEBRATION OF LOVE
April, 2021
PLANT A ROSE AND LIVING CELEBRATION OF LOVE
May, 2021
A VISIT FROM MISTY
THE MEDAVIE WEST HEALTH SERVICES FACILITY DOG
March, 2022
Annual Memorial Ceremony
On the evening of August 30th Heartland Hospice Moose Jaw hosted their 2nd annual ‘Heartlights Memorial Ceremony’ in the beautiful Heartland Hospice Serenity Garden. Under the warmth of the setting sun and in the calm of the evening we gathered to:
• honour the memory of those served-to-date in the Heartland Hospice Room
• to honour those who worked as caregivers for their needs;
• to honour their beloved who grieve;
• and to be in a safe space with others who understand this grief.
We were privileged to feature the music of Lori McNaughton and the presence and participation of Tyler Mudry (Palliative Community Care Coordinator) and Pat Campbell (Palliative Home Care RN); along with the families of those who spent their final days in the Hospice Room and board members from Heartland Hospice Moose Jaw.
The evening was meaningful and moving and Heartland Hospice was grateful to be able to support our community’s hospice care through this event. We are so thankful to all who helped in bringing the Serenity Garden, and this event, to readiness for this special evening.
“ We are Bearers of their Light.”
Advanced Care Planning
While end-of-life conversations can feel difficult, they can be some of the most crucial conversations between a Patient and their Family. Having directives in place while a Patient is capable of doing so can make the final chapter more manageable with the Patient’s wishes being known, alleviating guesswork. As a way of supporting such crucial conversations, Heartland Hospice offers this Advanced Care Planning Resource to assist Patients and their Families in end-of-life conversations and decision making.
memoryKPR
“I have this fear that I’m going to forget the sound of their voice.”
(A sentence spoken by many bereaved.)
Heartland Hospice Moose Jaw Inc. is honoured to work in partnership with Jessica McNaughton, founder of memoryKPR. We believe that the ability to record a person’s story offers the family a priceless treasure and healing tool, and so does Jessica. That’s what memoryKPR is all about.
Use memoryKPR technology to capture and protect your story. It’s a cathartic part of the journey but also allows your legacy to live on in pictures, videos, text, and voice recordings. Capture your life’s experience, stories, and wisdom in this application. memoryKPR allows you to record and protect your memories in a digital application – it’s downloadable but also only one click away for those you love. Use the Journal Prompts if you aren’t sure where to start. You can also invite others to contribute easily – if you want to have greetings from loved ones also just a click away.
memoryKPR offers a free account, 50 pieces of media, and one author, however, they have a program for Heartland Hospice Moose Jaw where they will donate a Pro Account for free.
For more information email Info@memoryKPR.com and request your Heartland Hospice Moose Jaw discount code.