Dear Editor:
Imagine someone you love deeply – a spouse, a parent, a best friend, or a favourite aunt or uncle – facing the last few days or weeks of life. They want to be at home, surrounded by familiar comforts, but the level of care they need is more than family can provide alone.
Will loved ones be close by, or will winter roads and long drives keep them apart? Will family members become overwhelmed and exhausted as they try their best to meet the demands of round-the-clock care?
I am a retired registered nurse with 35 years of bedside experience, and I have had the privilege, and at times the heartbreak, of being with many patients and their families as they faced the final chapter of life.
Hospice care offers something profoundly special. A hospice is a warm, home-like environment where people receive round-the-clock care from compassionate professionals. Pain and symptoms are managed quickly with skill and kindness. Families are given the gift of precious time together in a safe, beautiful setting, while medical and emotional needs are met with exceptional attention. Every need, wish or desire is treated with respect.
That is why building Saugeen Hospice matters so deeply. It will be centrally located in Walkerton to serve this region closer to home. There will be seven private patient rooms, each with a view of the rural countryside.
My decades of nursing taught me one very clear truth: when all else falls away and time is running out, what remains is the need for love. A hospice is where love has room to breathe, where hands can be held, words can be whispered, and goodbyes can be spoken and treasured.
Saugeen Hospice promises to make those moments possible.
Debbie Ribey,
Saugeen Hospice board member