Hospice Peterborough Is Bringing Back Dove Tradition For Those Grieving a Loved one

Community members who are grieving the death of a loved one are invited to join a special holiday event that involves placing a paper dove, with the name of a loved one, on the Hospice Peterborough fence to help honour the memory of loved ones during a difficult time.

Photo courtesy of Hospice Peterborough.

Any community member can print and decorate a dove using this template on Hospice Peterborough’s website, and then hang the dove on the fence outside of our building at 325 London St. Hospice Peterborough has lit the evergreens outside of the building to remind us all that, even in times of grief, there is shared light and peace from the community.

“The holidays can be a time of great sorrow for those who have lost a loved one and our doves honour the special memories that those who have died leave with each of us,” said Hospice Peterborough executive director Hajni Hős. “Hospice welcomes everyone who would like to bring a dove for the fence – this is not just for Hospice clients.”

Hospice Peterborough staff are thinking of all those who are grieving a death whether it was recent or in the past. Grief changes over time but many feel it strongly over the holidays, whether their person died recently or many years ago.

“Grief, like love, is a human emotion that unites us,” said Julie Brown, supportive care counsellor at Hospice Peterborough. “And the trees and doves are Hospice’s way of acknowledging the memories and sharing the peace and light felt throughout this community during the holiday season.”

Anyone seeking further support can watch the Grief and the Holidays 2021 video, call 705-742-4042 or visit hospicepeterborough.org for more information.

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Ontario Government Invests $375,000 Into Hospice Peterborough For COVID-19 Relief

Hospice Peterborough gets a $375,000 boost from the Ontario Government to offset any costs incurred from the COVID-19 pandemic announced on Tuesday.

Hajni Hős, Hospice Peterborough Executive Director (left) with MPP Dave Smith (right) in front of Hospice Peterborough on London Street. Since 2018, the Ontario government has invested $40 million to add over 200 new hospice beds in Ontario for over 7,000 additional patients annually. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The money given is a 36 per cent increase from last year and brings their 2021-2022 funding to $1,425,000. During the COVID-19 pandemic, residential hospices experienced a decrease in community donations which are used to help support day-to-day operations as stated in the press release.

This capital investment is part of Ontario’s $23 million to help residential hospices across the province provide high-quality, compassionate end-of-life services and care to people and their loved ones.

This new investment is in addition to the province’s annual investment of over $74 million per year in palliative care.

“Hospice Peterborough will continue to provide high-quality, compassionate, end-of-life care to meet the needs of our clients, their families and caregivers in our community,” says Hajni Hős, Hospice Peterborough Executive Director.

As Ontario’s plan to end hallway health care, the government is investing $23 million to help residential hospices across the province provide high-quality, compassionate end-of-life services and care to people and their loved ones.

This investment is one factor in an integrated approach to reduce silos in health care and create a seamless, patient-centred system according to the press release.

“There’s no question Hospice Peterborough has felt the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic; community events to raise capital and support programming was cancelled,” said MPP Dave Smith. “This boost in funding will help them reorient, plan for the future and deliver the best care for patients.”

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Hike for Hospice Wraps up Annual Fundraiser With Over $66,000 Raised

Hike for Hospice’s 19th annual fundraiser that ran from Sept. 11-17, exceeded its goal of $40,000 by raising $66,000 announced Thursday.

Manager of Residence at Hospice Peterborough, Jeannette, hikes with friends. Photo courtesy of Hospice Peterborough.

The goal shattered last year’s amount of $56,538.

This was the second consecutive year that the Hike was held virtually and 16 local teams made up of 133 registered participants hiked, walked, ran and cycled at the location of their choosing after collecting pledges.

There were 450 pledges made on the Hospice Peterborough donation site.

“We are so grateful that our teams pulled through for us again this year in another virtual Hike,” says Hospice Peterborough executive director Hajni Hős. “Thanks to our generous community, including individuals, teams and corporate sponsors, we can continue to offer our programs and services free of charge to anyone who needs our help.”

The funds support 26 programs and services including a bereaved parents support group, day hospice, palliative navigation, groups for children and teens and a 10-bed end-of-life residence.

Hospice also offers community education events including workshops and seminars, about issues such as end-of-life medication or advance-care planning to help people decide in advance who can be their decision-maker if they are unable to speak for themselves.

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Hike for Hospice Peterborough On Their Way to Meet Fundraising Goal

Hospice Peterborough’s Hike For Hospice event already raised over $30,000 since it started on Saturday for its one-week campaign.

Image courtesy of Hospice Peterborough

Due to COVID-19 this year’s event is being held virtually and started with a live stream of the opening ceremonies. Participants are encouraged to walk, hike or bike at their convenience from Sept. 11-17.

Hike for Hospice 2021 wants to raise $40,000, 73 per cent of that goal has already been met.

Prize winners were announced for the early bird registration and the t-shirt decorating contest on Tuesday

Wednesday they will hold a day of remembrance and Thursday participants will be invited to share who they are hiking for.

The event will end on Friday with a closing ceremony.

Participants are encouraged to share their stories, photos, videos, and fundraising ideas on the Hike for Hospice Facebook page or send them to Aimée at aoreilly@hospicepeterborough.org.

To sponsor an individual or a team click here.

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Virtual Hike For Hospice Registration Open Now

Registration is now open for the 2021 Virtual Hike for Hospice fundraiser.

Photo courtesy of Hospice Peterborough

Virtual Hike for Hospice is an event meant to connect families, friends, neighbours, and coworkers to support and recognize the palliative and bereavement struggles of individuals and families.

This year’s Hike will encourage participants to go for a walk, hike or bike at a time that works best for them between September 11-17, 2021.

An opening ceremony is planned for September 11 at 10a.m, and will be available to view on the Hike for Hospice Facebook, and YouTube.

Participants are encouraged to share their stories, photos, videos, and fundraising ideas on the Hike for Hospice Facebook page or send them to Aimée at aoreilly@hospicepeterborough.org.

The last day of the virtual hike will feature a closing ceremony to honour loved ones and thank participants.

Participants are invited to register individually or as a team by following this link.

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Well-Known Peterborough Family Creates Fundraiser for Hospice Peterborough

In honour of the late Jan Paris, the local family who founded and owns Paris Marine in Lakefield has pledged to match donations to the Hospice monthly giving program until the end of February.

At age 73, Jan was a healthy and vibrant Peterborough woman who enjoyed volunteering, painting, taking trips with her husband to their second home in Florida and spending as much time as she could with her beloved grandchildren.

After getting an all-clear from a physical in July 2019, however, she’d learn by the end of the year that she had a rare form of leukemia. The Paris family say they relied on Hospice Peterborough services throughout Jan’s illness and when it was time to grieve.

The Paris family: Jan and Bill Paris with daughters Tracey, Deborah and Julie. (photo courtesy Hospice Peterborough)

“I don’t know how we would’ve gotten through this without Hospice Peterborough,” says Bill Paris, her husband of more than 50 years. “It’s the kind of organization that you don’t know much about until the time comes that you need them.”

To honour Jan’s memory, her family has initiated the “For the Love of Jan” fundraiser for Hospice Peterborough and has pledged to match all donations made to the monthly giving program, up to $10,000, until the end of February. To date, more than $6,000 has been received.

Jan and Bill Paris created more than 50 years’ worth of memories together. (photo courtesy Hospice Peterborough)

All donations to “For the Love of Jan” will be directed to programs that support children and teens, an area for which Hospice Peterborough receives no government funding.

The groups support youth in our community who have experienced the death of someone close to them and—often through arts-based activities—help them manage their feelings and behaviours. Through the pandemic, Hospice continues to offer these services virtually either one-on-one or in small groups.

Jan Paris with her granddaughter Kensington. (photo courtesy Hospice Peterborough)

Hospice Peterborough executive director Hajni Hős thanks the Paris family for sharing their deeply personal story and for giving back to the community in memory of a loved one.

“It is fitting to direct these funds to children and teen groups in honour of a cherished mother and grandmother who devoted herself to her family,” Hős says. “When children in our community can better manage their grief, we all win.”

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Hospice Peterborough Implements New Health And Safety Measures

Hospice Peterborough has announced it is boosting its health and safety measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic by participating in a Ministry of Health pilot program.

The Employer Antigen Screening program provides antigen testing for all staff who enter the building from February 1st to March 26th. It involves a regulated healthcare professional taking a nasopharyngeal swab and delivering results on site within 15 minutes. Any staff with a preliminary positive will not be allowed to return to the building until they have a confirmed negative test. This test may provide false negatives 30 percent of the time.

“Although it’s not perfect, this test provides another layer of protection as it may identify an individual infected with COVID-19 who might’ve gone undetected through regular screening protocols,” says Hospice Peterborough Executive Director, Hajni Hős.

Photo via Hospice Peterborough Facebook page

Other heightened safety precautions at Hospice include: requiring all new residents from a hospital to have had a negative COVID-19 swab within 24 hours prior to admission and isolating these new residents for at least 72 hours. Residents admitted from the community will be isolated and tested in admission and remain in isolation. All residents will be tested again for COVID-19 on their fourth day after admission.

To limit the number of people coming into the building, all community programs and services are taking place via Zoom web-conferencing or phone.

Residents are permitted two essential visitors within a 24-hour period and all visitors will be screened including temperature and required to wear a medical-grade mask. Currently, each resident may have a total of six essential visitors who can rotate through, two at a time, every 24 hours. This could change at any time.

“We sincerely apologize that due to COVID-19 restrictions and our emphasis on keeping residents and staff safe, our usual open-door policy for visitors is restricted,” Hős says. “For those residents in the last days or hours of their life, Hospice Peterborough will carefully and compassionately consider allowing more essential visitors as well as visiting beyond regular visiting hours.”

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Donation Of Birdfeeders Made To Residents Of Hospice Peterborough To Bring Them Extra Comfort

In a heartwarming show of community collaboration, the Peterborough Field Naturalists, led by member King Baker, and local business The Avant Garden Shop came together to donate multiple birdfeeders and a pole to Hospice Peterborough to bring extra comfort to local residents.

The bird feeders, which seed was carefully chosen to support native species through the winter, were placed in the residence garden at Hospice Peterborough. A hummingbird feeder will be added in the spring.

King Baker from Peterborough Field Naturalists hanging one of the feeders.

The addition of bird feeders is normalizing, and will bring joy to the private residence gardens at Hospice. If this pandemic has taught us anything, it is that it's often the little pleasures such as watching birds that enriches our lives.

“The residents, their families, and even staff are going to receive such a healing distraction seeing the birds flit around outside their windows—especially in the upcoming months,” says Alison Casey, Manager of Development at Hospice.

Group (left to right): The Avant Garden Shop Owners Clayton and Brenda Ibey, King Baker, and Martin Parker (Peterborough Field Naturalists Member)

The Peterborough Field Naturalists uses part of their annual income to fund projects chosen by members and approved by their board. King Baker, who was the driving force behind the donation, says he thought of Hospice Peterborough for this gift because of the meaningful nature of the work and how he believed it would truly make a difference to those who would watch the birds from their rooms.

Hospice Peterborough provides vital support to individuals and families who are at the end of life, facing a life-threatening illness, or grieving. If you or someone you know could benefit from their support, go to hospicepeterborough.org or call 705-742-4042.

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Mackey Family Honours Son’s Memory, Raises Money For Hospice through Hike For Hospice Fundraiser

Patrick Mackey was a healthy and vibrant young Peterborough man known for his passion for social justice, his easygoing nature and his work at the YMCA as a beloved camp counsellor with the nickname ‘Toucan.’

After getting terrible headaches and quickly learning he had an aggressive brain cancer, Patrick continued studying at university, painting artwork for his family and being the type of friend who brought a smile to all who knew him.

Nearly two years later, Patrick lost his battle while spending his final days with his loving family at home in palliative care. He was only 20 years old.

Patrick Mackey (Photo courtesy Hospice Peterborough)

There’s no way to make sense of such a loss but his mother, Christine, says one of the most important ways the family was able to cope was by utilizing the services of Hospice Peterborough.

“After receiving counselling through Hospice, we came away feeling like we could move forward,” says Christine, a retired long-time teacher with the Catholic school board.

The Mackey family honoured Patrick’s memory and raised pledges by participating in this year’s 18th annual Hike for Hospice fundraiser, which was held virtually last month due to the pandemic.

The Mackey family (Photo courtesy Hospice Peterborough)

The Hike exceeded its goal of $35,000 by raising $56,538, which supports the work of Hospice Peterborough and the 26 programs and services it offers including grief groups, day hospice, groups for children and teens and a 10-bed end-of-life residence.

For many people, like the Mackey family, the Hike is also a meaningful way to remember and honour their lost loved one. Participants shared memories and photos of their loved ones on the Hike for Hospice Facebook page.

The new Hospice Peterborough, located at 325 London Street, is a reflection of a 30-year history of their ongoing commitment to hospice palliative care.

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Hike For Hospice Going Virtual This Year With Hike Your Way Event

In a pandemic year, Hospice Peterborough is encouraging people to gather a team to support end of life care, life-threatening illness and bereavement in the community through a virtual version of their Hike for Hospice called “Hike Your Way”.

Hike Your Way will be a week long, self-led event taking place from September 13-19th. Participants are encouraged to walk, bike, or hike while supporting the work of Hospice Peterborough. Networking, stories, photos, and fun will be shared through the Hike for Hospice Peterborough Facebook page.

You can register yourself or with a team by clicking here. Those who register by September 1st will be entered into a draw for a $100 Montana’s gift certificate.

Last year, Hospice Peterborough supported more than 750 adults and 165 children and youth through end-of-life, grief, and bereavement. Thanks to the generosity of the community, and through such events as Hike for Hospice, all programs and services are offered free of charge to the people that need them.

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