Palliative Care

Many patients who are diagnosed with a life-limiting illness want to live the remainder of their lives in the comfort, security and familiarity of home, surrounded by those who love them. In this age of high-tech medicine, there is still the need to have caring people who understand and who offer simple companionship when it is so desperately needed. Well-trained hospice volunteers help to satisfy these very important needs across Georgina.

Sometimes people think that Hospice Palliative Care Services are only available in the last days or weeks of life but the support services, library resources and programs of Hospice Georgina are available for people from the time of diagnosis. Making the most of life includes making decisions that are right for you and your family. The experienced team at Hospice Georgina will work with you to assure you the comfort, understanding and support you need.

Joe was capable of remaining in his own home with substantial support. His family called and dropped in several times a day. Everyone paid attention to Joe's changing needs and communicated these changes immediately. My visits with Joe were times that we both looked forward to. He would actually plan "our menu" when he went shopping. Grocery shopping was a social outing. One morning I arrived to see his smiling face and a twinkle in his eye.

"Let's have breakfast," he said.

"Sounds good," I replied. "What are we having?"

"Banana splits!" grinned Joe.

He made that statement with the glee of a defiant six year old, knowing we shouldn't, but enjoying every minute of the decadence.

And this is a good example of living life to the fullest - being able to make choices about things in your life... what you will eat, when you will eat, where you will live.