Nine years ago an active advocacy effort was begun to bring the option of residential hospice care to the Comox Valley.
While money for the infrastructure had been raised, the commitment for the operational funding for the medical part of care from the Vancouver Island Health Authority was only announced in November, 2013.
Now, a collaborative partnership of St. Joseph's General Hospital & Foundation, the Comox Valley Hospice Society, The Views at SJGH and Island Health is working to bring this dream to reality for spring of 2015.
A renovation of space at The Views, coupled with an addition, will provide four private rooms with private baths, a staff space, a lovely family space and a beautiful outdoor deck accessible from each room.
The team is also developing the program of care to support people who are dying, their loved ones and their caregivers with compassion and dignity. The staff dedicated to this program will receive extensive training prior to the opening.
Michael Aikins, executive director at The Views and Terri Odineal, executive director of the Comox Valley Hospice Society, will join Support Our Seniors to provide an update on this exciting enhancement of care for the people of the Comox Valley on Monday, Nov. 3.
Support our Seniors meets from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Lower Native Sons Hall.
Meetings have an educational focus for the first hour and an advocacy focus in the second hour, with a break for refreshments and networking.
Meetings are free and open to the public. Donations are gratefully accepted to help with refreshments.
For more information, contact Jennifer, 250-334-2321 or Sheila, 250-335-2246.