Merritt Hospice Society supporting the terminally ill for 35 years By Morgan Hampton
The Merritt Hospice Society has been providing services to the community of Merritt for 35 years, supporting the terminally ill and their families since 1986. You may be wondering, what is hospice? If you have never had a terminally ill loved one, you may be unfamiliar with the service this organization provides to those who are reaching the end of their life. “Hospice is caring people working in cooperation with physicians and other members of the health care team to offer support to the terminally ill and their families,” said Jill Sanford, chairman of the Merritt Hospice Society. “We also support individuals who are grieving, with one-on-one support and grief support groups.” It is the firm belief of those within the Hospice Society that no one should die or grieve alone, and all work is done to support this belief. The Society is staffed by volunteers, and no clients are ever charged a fee for what is provided. “All volunteers complete a three-day training session, a criminal record check and sign a confidentiality agreement,” said Sanford, who has been a hospice volunteer herself for more than 35 years. “Our volunteers are adults from various backgrounds and experience, and are consciously paired with clients best suited for them. They are very compassionate individuals that want to make a difference, and enjoy helping people.” Volunteers visit clients wherever they are in their journey, whether it is at home, in a care facility or at a hospital. They offer services such as bedside sitting, where they provide conversation, or merely comfort, to someone at end of life who is bedbound; “time-out” for the primary caregiver, similar to respite care, as caring for a terminally ill loved one can often be physically and emotionally
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draining; companionship in the form of letter-writing, reading or other small tasks the ill person may not be able to do themselves, and also listening without judgement. “We offer support for the friends and family with the client, including staying with their loved ones so that they can take breaks and feel comfort knowing their loved ones are in good hands,” said Sanford. www.merrittherald.com • The Golden Years
