Luncheon honours palliative care nurses, workers
FERGUS – May 3 to 9 is National Hospice Palliative Care Week in Canada to celebrate and honour all those providing incredible quality palliative care.
Retired physician Dr. Alan Simpson and the Aboyne Rural Hospice committee (ARH) organized a luncheon at the Grand River Event Centre on May 5 to honour those who deliver excellence in palliative care in Centre and North Wellington.
“This particular event started for me when attending the funeral of a friend in Markdale last year,” Simpson said in a press release.
“There, I had the opportunity to reconnect with five original VON nurses from the ’70s when I was first in practice in Elora.”
Simpson couldn’t say enough about the value of these nurses and other palliative care workers and wanted to acknowledge their contributions to palliative care in the county.
With the help of the Aboyne Rural Hospice committee, over eighty health care professionals and town and county officials were invited to attend a luncheon on Tuesday to share memories and wisdom gained at the job.
States Simpson: “We well remember our patients, young to old. Palliative care involves all age groups. We want to thank the many doctors, nurses and social workers and all volunteers and others who are so important in providing palliative care over the years under challenging circumstances at times, a paucity of tools and a lack of understanding by many.”
Palliative care is specialized medical care focused on providing relief from the symptoms, pain, and stress of a serious illness, such as cancer, heart disease, or dementia.
It aims to improve quality of life for both the patient and their family, regardless of age or disease stage, and can be provided alongside curative treatments. Hospice care for end of life, is part of palliative care.
Shelley Lillie is a retired palliative care nurse after a 40 year-career and helped with organizing the event.
“During my career, I was often amazed at the strength and resilience of my patients and their loved ones, when faced with such difficult situations. I count it a privilege to have been part of their care team and to have supported them at such an intimate time in their lives.”
Lillie worked as a community visiting nurse in Centre and North Wellington for the Care Partners nursing team, transitioning to the Bayshore nursing team later. For the last 17 years of her career, she worked as the palliative care nurse specialist
for the Upper Grand Family Health Team.
Aboyne Rural Hospice
Both Simpson and Lillie are part of the advisory committee for the new Aboyne Rural Hospice. The hospice will be built on the Aboyne campus between Fergus and Elora and the committee’s capital campaign is in full swing.
“The hospice will be a welcome addition to palliative care in the County,” said Simpson.
“It will be excellent care close to home for the residents in Centre and North Wellington.”
“I see Aboyne Rural Hospice as being a hub in our community for palliative care information, support and 24/7 end of life care,” added Lillie.”
It will bring care closer to home for many people living in Rural Wellington and make a difference for people trying to cope at such a difficult time.”
