Hospice of Waterloo Region

Happy World Smile Day 😃 (and happy Friyay!)

”What’s a DNR-C and why everyone needs to know.”

Join Emily Cooper, Community Paramedicine, at as she leads us through a discussion to help us better understand:
• the role of the paramedics in emergencies,
• what a DNR-C (Do Not Resuscitate Confirmation Form) is, the importance of a correctly completed DNR-C form and how it may be necessary in honouring a person’s wishes.

We invite you to join Emily as she brings her first-hand experience and knowledge to a topic that is both relevant and thought provoking for all of us. The conversation is never dull!

Register today: https://bit.ly/3TeqAqs

DyingToKnow.ca is a one-day conference cohosted by Hospice Waterloo Region and St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church - Kitchener.

Today is World Financial Planning Day, and a reminder that planned giving offers a unique opportunity to ensure support in the future for a cause you care about deeply.

By designating a future gift in your will, such as a bequest, securities or life insurance policy, you will help us provide hospice/palliative care for generations to come.

STEPS FOR LEGACY PLANNING

Make sure you have an up-to-date will — This is the best way to ensure your wishes will be met after you are gone.

Talk to your family — Share with your loved ones why you want to support Hospice Waterloo Region.

Meet with your lawyer, financial advisor or accountant — They have the experience and knowledge to guide you through the process.

Let Hospice know — We are happy to provide further information and discuss how your gift will be recognized. It would be an honour to acknowledge you as a lifetime Legacy Circle member.

❤️ Heartfelt Thanks for Your Support

We want to acknowledge and thank you for your incredible support of Hike for Hospice.

Our 12th Annual Hike for Hospice on Sunday, Sept. 22nd was a wonderful success, exceeding all our expectations. Our hikers had a fantastic time, and we are thrilled to share that we surpassed this year’s fundraising goal!

It has taken us a few days to finalize the details from the event, and we are excited to share the following details:
- Over $110,000 (gross) raised through the support of sponsors, donors, and participants
- 250 attendees joined us for the Hike
- 40 volunteers dedicated their time to help make the event run smoothly

Your contributions will make a significant impact on the work we do.

Thank you for choosing to support Hospice Waterloo Region. Events like Hike for Hospice ensure that we can continue to provide crucial support to individuals and families in the community and in the Cook Family Residence.

Today is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day. It is a day that recognizes the ongoing harm to Indigenous communities from the legacy of Canada's residential schools.

Today, we remember and honour the survivors, their families and communities, and those who never returned home.

All Canadians can play a role in furthering reconciliation by reading the 94 calls to action in the Truth and Reconciliation report: https://nctr.ca/records/reports/.

We’re excited to share that Hospice Waterloo Region has been nominated in the Bereavement Services category for the Waterloo Region Record Reader’s Choice Awards!

This recognition is a testament to the important work we do, and we’re incredibly grateful for your continued support.

We would love it if you could take a moment to vote for us!
https://readerschoice.therecord.com/readerschoice/business/hospice-waterloo-region

Here are a few important details:
• Voting is open until Sunday, September 29th.
• You’ll need to create or have an account to vote, and it’s completely free.
• You can only vote once per nominee in each category throughout the voting period.
• Feel free to share this with your family and friends to help us reach even more people!

We recently hosted a Volunteer BBQ to thank the many Hospice Waterloo Region volunteers who share their time and passion with our organization.

To our volunteers: We couldn't do what we do without you. Thank you for everything you do ❤️.

And it wouldn't be an event without the HWR unicorn, of course! 🦄

Can we allow Grief AND Joy?... Yes we can! Let’s Talk!

Join Yvonne Heath at as she shares her passion for encouraging discussion about death and dying through her ‘Love Your Life to Death’ and the ‘I Just Showed Up Movement.’

Register today: https://bit.ly/3TeqAqs

DyingToKnow.ca is a one-day conference cohosted by Hospice Waterloo Region and St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church - Kitchener.

Love Your Life to Death

On Sept. 9, staff from Hospice Waterloo Region had the pleasure and honour of attending a retreat experience at Crow Shield Lodge.

We are deeply grateful for the opportunity to spend time with the facilitators and Elders, to enjoy the land, to be nourished in body, mind and spirit, to hear their history and experiences, and to have meaningful conversations about life and death.

Thank you to Crow Shield Lodge for an incredibly meaningful and fulfilling experience.

Resources: Grief & Loss Services in Waterloo Region

In collaboration with local regional bereavement networks, Hospice Waterloo Region has developed a pamphlet that outlines the not-for-profit bereavement resources in Waterloo Region.

Please share this information with anyone you think might benefit from having access to this information: https://bit.ly/3XyG366

Camino Wellbeing + Mental Health The Coping Centre Griefwalk Bereaved Families of Ontario - Midwestern Region Porchlight Counselling and Addiction Services Interfaith Counselling Centre Woolwich Counselling Centre Hummingbird Centre for HOPE Nightingale Centre Canadian Virtual Hospice

🍂 Happy First Day of Fall!

Two hands up if this is your favourite season. 🙌

Image description: Hospice Waterloo Region volunteer Carol Shantz poses with a pumpkin filled with fall flowers in front of a food cart (from 2023).

On World Gratitude Day, the team at Hospice Waterloo Region wants to say a special thank you to all of our volunteers, board members, donors, sponsors, community members, and other supporters who help us make a difference in the lives of those with a life-limiting illness in Waterloo Region. 💚

We asked our friends and followers what they wish people knew about grief and grieving.

Here's what they said...

Grief comes in waves and is different for everyone.

That you’ll never be the person you were before the loss. Grief and loss tinges every aspect of who you are and you have to learn how to be this new version of yourself, the version who exists without your loved one.

That grief may last them a lifetime; but what is grief, if not love persevering?

Knowing it is OK to seek someone to help you navigate your grief. Better than OK... it is the smartest thing you can do.

❤️ Thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts and feelings about grief and grieving. It's an important topic, and we are so thankful we can talk about it with our community.

If you've had a loved one die, what do you wish you had known about death and dying?

How do we begin a conversation with our beloveds about their end of life wishes? What actually happens during dying? What might children see and hear if they are allowed to visit, and what might they imagine if visiting is forbidden?

Join celebrated author, speaker and longtime palliative care physician Dr Kathryn Mannix at for a special keynote address: How Do We Talk About Dying?

Register today: https://bit.ly/3TeqAqs

At Dying to Know — cohosted by Hospice Waterloo Region and St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church — you’ll learn how to manage those important conversations, how to be someone’s companion as they think through their worries and concerns, and how to understand and accompany the process of dying.

Did you know that The Gies Family Centre has a hair salon?

Volunteer hairstylists provide a wash, cut and style for clients and their caregivers in the privacy of our salon.

"It is so wonderful to see the big smiles on the faces of family members after they return to the Residence from getting their hair done. They often say that they feel they are being cared for as much as the Resident is."
~ Lynn, HWR Volunteer

Our services are offered at no charge to hospice clients and their families.

Do you have questions about Hospice Waterloo Region, our programs and services, or the hospice experience?

Please contact us. We’d be happy to speak with you. Call us today at 519.743.4114.

Hike for Hospice is just around the corner! Will you be joining us on Sept. 22nd?

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4cVQHdJ

Our services are offered at no charge to hospice clients and their families. Your help today ensures we are here for families tomorrow. ❤️

Funding from the government covers only a portion of our annual operating budget. This goes towards direct medical costs, which include the clinical staff in the residence. Additional expenses are covered through the generous support of our community.

Our 11-bed hospice residence provides palliative care for those at end of life and support for their families.

The space has been designed for the comfort of the resident and their family and, in addition to private individual rooms with opportunity for family to stay over, it includes individual private outdoor courtyards, many quiet places for reflection, special family gathering places and common outdoor space for contemplation.

Take a tour: https://bit.ly/3XimKz7

What scares you most about death and dying?

Hospice Waterloo Region offers several events and workshops to the community at no charge. Here's what we have planned for the rest of September: https://www.hospicewaterloo.ca/complete-calendar/

Introducing Our New Annual Donor Wall!

We are excited to announce that Hospice Waterloo Region installed a new donor wall this summer at The Gies Family Centre. It is located in the circular hallway on the north side of the courtyard and was designed to match our capital campaign donor recognition wall on the south side of the courtyard.

This new donor wall, which will be updated each summer, acknowledges the members and families of our community, as well as sponsors and corporate donors, who generously support us each year. ❤️

JOIN US FOR FILM FRIDAY!

You are invited to join Hospice Waterloo Region for an afternoon of film and conversation, featuring the documentary “Death is but a Dream.”

EVENT DETAILS

Date: Friday, Sept. 13th
Time: 1-3 p.m.
Location: The Gies Family Centre, 100 Solstice Way, Waterloo
RSVP to Alexandra Allen: [email protected].

ABOUT THE FILM

In the heart of life’s final chapter, “Death Is But A Dream” introduces us to Dr. Christopher Kerr, a hospice physician whose daily encounters with death have revealed an unexpected mosaic of life, love, and profound healing. This film uncovers the extraordinary journey of dying, painted through the lens of those on the verge of their final breath, and guided by the compassionate care of Dr. Kerr.

Watch the Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh-nacCekR4

What if you could have all of your questions about death, dying and grief answered in a safe space? You can.

Dying to Know is a one-day conference hosted in partnership by Hospice Waterloo Region and St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church - Kitchener.

Keynotes include:
- Dr Kathryn Mannix, a celebrated palliative care physician and author
- Yvonne Heath, passionate speaker, author and founder of Love Your Life to Death

DTK offers time for meaningful conversations about the natural stages of dying and the impact death and preparing for death have on our lives.

Attendees will learn more about death, how to support someone through illness, walk through grief, and ultimately find a supportive community during times of need.

Join us on Oct. 19th for this special event: http://bit.ly/3yX6R4l