Rosedale, is our 7 bed cancer specific, 24 hour residential care hospice for adults. Rosedale is a 3 storey house situated in a beautiful, well established residential community in Northwest Calgary, that has been tastefully renovated and has kept its “comfortable homey” ambience. All the patient rooms are located on the 3rd floor of the house and have stunning views of the Bow River, downtown Calgary or of the lovely evergreen trees in the surrounding residential area. The spectacular gardens are maintained by volunteer gardeners from the Calgary Zoo.
Rosedale is fondly called “the house” and the patients are treated to individually prepared meals that they can order each morning when the chef comes to their room. Families can stay with their loved one in their room or reserve the guest room. “Many patients and families say they feel they have come to a haven, where they can relax in the compassionate and expert hands of the professionals and volunteers” said Elaine Munce, manager of counselling services. Family caregivers are comforted knowing that they can spend time with their loved one and that they are well cared for when they go home. The spiritual, emotional and physical support gives families the opportunity to be with their loved one in a peaceful setting.
Hospice Calgary gratefully acknowledges the support of Alberta Health Services who provide funding for the care provided at Rosedale Hospice. Capital and reserve funding is provided through the generosity of our individual donors.
Hospice Calgary is unique in that we also provide services out of another centre, Sage Centre. This is a lovely free standing, newly renovated, one storey building in Southeast Calgary, centrally located in our rapidly growing city. We provide support groups and counselling onsite in spaces that are inviting and age specific for our clients. Our Master’s level counsellors with specialized credentials in marriage and family therapy, nursing, psychology, art and play also provide counselling support in homes, hospices, hospitals and schools.
The organization offers grief support to children, teens and adults where someone in the family is living with a life-threatening illness. Referrals can be made at any point during illness and we journey with families through the death and bereavement as well for as long as needed. Our referrals come from the Alberta Health Services Palliative Home Care team, self-referrals, physicians, teachers and other community professionals.
One of our group programs is the Living with Cancer Program. It is for adults living with advanced cancer and their caregivers. It is an ongoing, weekly support group that aims to help adults transition towards end of life while living life fully in the present. The participants have a home-made lunch, complementary therapies, monthly consultation with the Medical Director, and a facilitated “Matters of the Heart” discussion on topics of concern to the group members. Music, dancing, story-telling, celebrations, remembering rituals, Life Reviews and plenty of fun are on the weekly menu. Between weekly group sessions, the participants have access to counselling and spiritual care support in their home or at Sage Centre.
We find that one of the greatest gifts in this group program is that the participants model or mentor to each other how to die well (as they define this goal). “Many have said that when they first came to the group, they were afraid to die and with time and support, that fear went away with a sense of meaning and peace settling in” said Munce.
In April, 2015 the Living with Cancer Program was recognized by and a recipient of the Canadian Cancer Society’s “Program in Action” award. This Community Impact Award acknowledged significant service to individuals and families living with advanced cancer. Hospice Calgary is honored by this prestigious achievement.
Hospice Calgary is the only Canadian Hospice accredited with the American Board of Social Workers to provide Continuing Education Credits to professionals who attend our workshops. We provide education on “Child and Teen Grief” on site, in rural areas and well as via Telehealth. We respond to specific requests for education from professionals and volunteers in the community. In the past year, 1300 individuals received education provided by Hospice Calgary staff.
In 2016, our residential hospice Rosedale, celebrates 20 wonderful years of service to Calgary and just over 30 years for our counselling and group programs. We have a contingent of over 300 dedicated volunteers and our services could not be as re-known as they are without these caring individuals.
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