03/07/2024
Journeying together: Supporting individuals and their families during end-of-life care
Registered Social Service Worker Kelly Bell has been the Community Care and Bereavement Coordinator with Providence Care’s Hospice program since January 2020. She coordinates care for clients with life-limiting illnesses, their families, and caregivers, along with those affected by grief and loss. The focus of care is exclusively on providing comfort and enhancing quality of life, with no life-prolonging therapies.
“It is an honour to be a part of and bear witness to clients’ end-of-life journeys. I really love my job. Just connecting with so many people, different people. It could be staff, volunteers, family members or a caregiver. Everyone deals with and processes death and grief differently. It is a privilege that so many people let me in and accept my support during a time when their whole world is falling apart,” explains Kelly.
In Kelly’s day-to-day responsibilities, she reviews incoming referrals, determines eligibility and completes an assessment. From there, Kelly matches clients and their care partners with trained volunteers who provide emotional, social and spiritual support in group settings and through one-to-one visits virtually and in home settings.
“Often, we support the caregiver – because the clients’ needs can sometimes be met through home care or privately hired personal support workers. People always rush to help – but in the moment the caregiver often doesn’t get a lot of support.”
Kelly also spends time with clients and their care partners at the bedside during their final hours. “It can be the most spiritual experience. In fact, I have never found another moment that is quite the same. It’s the little things that feed me. It’s the closest that I can get, I think, to figuring out what life is supposed to be about. I get to be present at a very vulnerable time of life.”
Read the full story here: https://ow.ly/MBXQ50QLF48