Palliative Care offers new training sessions

Shannon LeClair

Times Reporter

 

Finding comfort in their last days is something the Strathmore Palliative Care Unit strives to provide to its patients.  Having a friendly face to speak with, or enjoy a meal with, can go a long way for the residents in palliative care. The need for volunteers who are willing to be that person is always there. 

“Because people keep dying, really that’s what it comes down to. It’s an ongoing need in our community and it’s never going to stop,” said Pastor Dawn.

“When you have people trained it stops burnout, and it gives us a diversity of people we can call on.”

In the New Year – the date is yet to be determined – there will be training offered to anyone interested in helping with palliative care. 

“It’s going to be open to anybody that is a volunteer with Strathmore and District Health Services or Chestermere,” said Bev Edwards, volunteer coordinator with the Strathmore Palliative Care Unit.  

“The training that we’re offering will be for the palliative care volunteers, so if somebody is interested they would call me and they would have to go through a process to become a volunteer and then they’d have the training.”

The process to becoming a volunteer with the Strathmore and Chestermere District Health Services begins with filling out an application. Then there is an interview, a police record check, which Edwards said is free. Potential volunteers will also have to complete an occupational health and safety form, and then there’s an orientation. Once the process is completed, anyone who is interested in volunteering with palliative care will be able to take the training. 

The training will be ongoing over a period of time, not in one weekend, and there will be no cost associated with it. 

“It’s available for the new volunteers, as well of course, for the new ones,” said Edwards.

“It takes a period of time to get the paperwork and process a new volunteer, so if people are interested it’s great for them to contact me so that I know they’re interested.”

The Palliative Care Unit offers support to terminally ill patients and their families. The volunteers help the patients through a number of issues including grief counseling, education regarding the disease progression and trying to help the patients be as comfortable as possible in their final days. 

Anyone interested in volunteering, or finding our more, can contact Bev Edwards at 403-361-7154.