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Frequently
Asked Questions
1. How can
I help bring residential and day hospice services to
Lanark County?
There are many ways
you can further our efforts to make professional
palliative and end of life care available to the
clients of Lanark County. Here are a few
suggestions:
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Donate
hand-crafted blankets and slippers for the
Day Hospice Program
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Convince
your boss to have a dress down day at work
and donate the proceeds to Dignity House.
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Donate
your time to work with one of our committees
to help with fund raising, finances,
promotions, letter writing, etc.
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Invite
the Project Manager of Dignity House to come
to your work place to do a small
presentation on the Day Hospice and
Residential Hospice Programs, and ask your
work colleagues to make a small donation to
attend the presentation.
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Donate a
percentage of your proceeds from a garage
sale.
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Become a
champion for Dignity House and be our
corporate sponsor. We will promote
your business along with all our activities
as we move towards bringing hospice to
Lanark County.
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Have a
bake sale on your street and donate the
proceeds to Dignity House.
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Encourage
family members to consider adding Dignity
House to their list of charities each year.
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Donate a
house to Dignity House.
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Make
Dignity House the recipient of funds raised
at a dance or evening of music or
entertainment.
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Ask
friends and family to make donations to
Dignity House in the name of a loved one who
has died.
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Share
your stories with us about how Hospice might
have made the end of life period of a loved
one more comfortable.
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Start a
collection jar at home and have family put
in a quarter every time they swear, and
donate the money to Dignity House Hospice.
These are
just a few suggestions. The more we all
speak about the dignity of people at the end of
life, the more society will come to accept death
and accept the support and care that can be
found in hospice programs. Remember,
Dignity House of Perth is a registered charity.
We do provide receipts for income tax purposes
for any gift / donation over $20.00.
2. When
will Dignity House Hospice be open?
That depends on
funding!
The funding required
to open a residential hospice runs between $800K and $1
million for 5 beds. Raising that kind of money in
a community that has been very generous to a number of
other large health-related projects is very difficult.
Add to that Government cuts, and reallocation of funds
to projects in larger urban centres, and that leaves
Dignity House very few funding options. We will
continue to advocate for the funds through the
South-East LHIN and the Palliative and End of Life Care
Network. In the interim, to provide some support
to local palliative clients and their loved ones, and
allow people to become familiar with the work of Dignity
House, a Day Hospice program will be implemented
in 2010. Check back with the
website, listen to the radio, and watch the local papers
for more news on the Lanark County Day Hospice Program
Initiative.
3. What is
a Day Hospice and will Dignity House have one?
YES!
Day Hospice
is a program that will run one day per week from
10am to 3 pm to provide supportive care for people
with life-limiting illnesses. Through the generosity
of the Carolina Retirement Suites, we will have a
very accessible, comfortable space for this program. Referrals
can come from any source and should be supported by
the family physician. Day Hospice will service a
number of purposes: to relieve isolation and find
support, to give primary caregivers a break, and to
provide alternative pain and symptom control through
complementary therapies.
Day Hospice will be a friendly,
relaxed atmosphere where patients can find mutual
support among group participants, to share humour
and enjoy human contact with people with similar
experiences and understanding.
The Day Hospice will be staffed by a
qualified nurse and group facilitator, and a team of
trained volunteers. Complementary therapists will be
invited to attend on a rotating basis to offer
massage, aromatherapy, reflexology, art therapy, pet
therapy and music therapy. A spiritual counselor
will be invited to visit Day Hospice on a regular
basis. Patients of any denomination are welcome to
attend. We hope to be able to offer hand and nail
care, including manicures, by trained volunteers.
Patients’ symptoms will be monitored
while attending Day Hospice and a summary will be
available to take to their family physician on a
monthly basis. A complete, confidential chart will
be kept for each patient attending the program.
While a variety of activities and
crafts will be available, patients can choose to sit
quietly and talk to fellow patients or read the
paper. We will have a small library of books and
videos and DVDs. On occasion, and if the weather
allows, outings and entertainment will be arranged
once or twice per month. Patients’ interests and
suggestions will guide all activities planned.
Volunteer drivers can assist with transport if
required.
In addition to snacks and drinks, a
light lunch will be served. We hope to establish a
partnership with local restaurants to supply this
meal on a rotating basis. Special diets will be
accommodated.
4. Why is
a dahlia used on your website and as part of your logo?
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The
Dahlia
is...
The symbol for Dignity
House Hospice because it represents:
Life!
New flowers bloom every spring;
Strength!
Despite the delicate frailty of its petals.
Most
importantly it represents DIGNITY!
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5.
Is there any financial assistance if I need to leave
work to care for a dying family member?
YES!
Under the Canadian Government's Employment
Insurance Compassionate Care Benefits Program.
Who is eligible?
You may be paid up to a maximum of 6 weeks to provide
care or support to a gravely ill family member at risk
of dying within 26 weeks. Unemployed persons on EI can
also ask for this type of benefits.
You are eligible if:
•
your regular weekly earnings from work have decreased by
more than 40%; and
• you have accumulated 600 insured hours in the last 52
weeks or since the start of your last claim
There is a qualifying period.
Care or support are defined as:
•
providing psychological or emotional support, or
• arranging for care by a third party, or
• directly providing or participating in the care.
Sharing compassionate care benefits
You can share the 6 weeks compassionate care benefits
with other members of your family who must also apply
and be eligible for these benefits.
Medical proof is required
As proof, 2 forms must be submitted:
· The "Authorization to Release a Medical Certificate" is
completed and signed by the gravely ill person or their
legal representative, and
· The "Medical certificate for Employment Insurance
Compassionate Care Benefits" is completed and signed by
the medical doctor of the gravely ill person to confirm
their significant risk of death within the 26 weeks.
How, where and when to apply
To receive compassionate care benefits you must submit
an EI application on-line or in person at your Service
Canada Centre. You should apply as soon as you stop
working.
You must request your Record(s) of Employment (ROE) from
your last employer as well as from any employer(s) you
worked for in the last 52 weeks. Submit your application
as soon as possible whether or not you have your ROE(s).
Use this link to get more information, and to apply for
compassionate benefits:
http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/ei/types/compassionate_care.shtml
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