Caring for the Caregiver

Traditional Chinese Exercise for Health

All Classes in the Cowichan Valley *unless stated

Wild Goose Qigong (Chi Gong)

Gentle movement • Calms your mind • Heals internal organs • Develops fl exibility Mondays 9 -10 am Tuesdays 6 pm - 7 pm (combined Qigong and Chun Yuen) Wednesdays 10-11:15 am Fridays 10-11:15 am (Victoria)* Northern Shaolin Chun Yuen Quan

Dynamic movement • Improves posture • Increases energy • Strengthens bones Tuesdays 6 pm - 7 pm (combined Qigong and Chun Yuen)*

Wednesdays 9 am - 10 am

250 748 4060 rivendellrhythm@shaw.ca

www.WildGooseQigongCentre.com

The first full week of May marks National Hospice Palliative Care Week in Canada. Together let’s celebrate the amazing care that hospice palliative care teams across Canada provide to our neighbours and families, empowering them to Live in Colour – to embrace life’s kaleidoscope of colours until the very end.

When Frank made the decision to end all dialysis to survive and face his death with dignity and bravery, his wife Kate was by his side. “I said to everybody, ‘he had a good death,’” Kate said, reflecting on their time journeying together through his illness.

Even in Frank’s wellsupported death, the weight of it all took a toll on Kate as his caregiver. One of the home care nurses who had cared for Frank suggested that Kate reach out to Cowichan Hospice. It was the right decision for her. “I really felt I could just be myself,” Kate said of her grief support experience. “I didn’t have to put on an act. I felt safe. It makes you feel okay, that there are other people in this strange state also.” The demands of caregiving can feel both overwhelming and lonely. Hospice is here to walk alongside caregivers as they remain present for their loved one and anticipate the eventual grief when the death finally occurs.

In Kate’s experience with hospice care, she reflected back on an earlier death of a loved one. “My dad died when I was 32,” Kate explains. “You do this thing with the grief, you assess, you go into yourself, you rebuild, you look at everything. It’s not just that particular event; it’s your whole life, its your whole being. I wish I had hospice then.”

If you or someone you know is overwhelmed by caregiving at the end of life, Cowichan Hospice is here to walk with you. Call 250-701-4242 today for free, confidential support in person, virtual or over the phone.

Cowichan Hospice is a registered charity that has been providing compassionate support to the Cowichan community for 40 years, thanks to the generous support of the community. www.cowichanhospice.org

250-701-4242

Todd Foley Communications Coordinator Cowichan Hospice