Riverdale Palliative Care plans events
- Details
- Published on Saturday, November 4, 2017
By Esther Krahn
Co-ordinator
Riverdale Palliative Care will be hosting several events in the next few weeks. We are looking for more volunteers so, together with Minnedosa Palliative Care, we are hosting the Volunteer Education & Training Program. This is a five-week 6:30-9 p.m. course which will be starting on Wednesday, Nov. 15 in the board room at Minnedosa Hospital.
Topics will include: an introduction to palliative care; we’ll explore myths, attitudes and beliefs about death and dying; enhancing listening and communication skills; learning the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the dying person; learning about loss, grief and bereavement. We will also look at the volunteer roles in palliative care. The course will be taught by staff from Westman Hospice in Brandon and there is a cost. You are welcome to take the course for personal learning/knowledge and if you become an active volunteer with Riverdale Palliative Care, the cost of the course will be reimbursed. For more information or registration, please call me at 2043-328-7189 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Volunteering is a valuable way of making a contribution to one’s community; we look forward to having some more volunteers.
On Sunday, Nov. 26 we will be hosting a Service of Lights at 3 p.m. at the Catholic church in Rivers. This is a service for anyone in the community who has experienced the death of a loved one in the last two years. Volunteers and individuals from area churches will lead the service. A time of remembering, with a listing of names of people who have died, lighting of candles and distribution of roses will allow guests to quietly reflect on the memories of their loved ones. If you have experienced the death of a family member or friend in the last two years and would like to take time to remember, please consider this your invitation to attend. Please feel free to bring other friends and extended family members with you. One of our volunteers will attempt to contact families of persons for whom there has been an obituary printed in Rivers Banner. If you have additional names of persons you would like to have honoured in this way, please call Joan Thomson at 204-328-7411. Refreshments will be served after the service.
On Tuesday, Nov. 28a and Wednesday, Nov. 29 palliative care volunteers will be available at Shelly Mom’s Kitchen from 2-4 p.m. to have a free coffee and informal conversation with anyone about the importance of advance care plans, ERIK (emergency response information kits), the importance of wills/power of attorney and any conversation about grief and bereavement. Sometimes these are difficult conversations to have, so feel free to come by the restaurant and have a chat with the volunteers. We will also have information available about the services of palliative care, ERIK and grief/bereavement. If you have any questions about any of these events, please contract me at the methods listed above.
