Hospice Orillia offers practical, emotional, and spiritual support to those in our community coping with advanced illness, death, and bereavement.
03/23/2026
Meet the Team Monday – Stefanie Collins
We’re excited to spotlight Stefanie Collins, one of our compassionate Social Workers at Hospice Orillia. Stefanie creates a safe, caring space for individuals and families facing the challenges of loss, and is dedicated to normalizing conversations around death and dying. She walks alongside people in their grief journey, ensuring no one feels alone.
Stefanie’s unwavering commitment brings comfort, understanding, and hope to our community every day. Thank you, Stefanie, for making a meaningful difference and inspiring us all!
03/22/2026
🌷 Sunday Morning Spring Reset 🌞
Spring is the season of renewal — a time to bloom, breathe, and bring gentle balance back into your days. This Sunday, let the fresh air and longer light inspire you to reset your mind, body, and spirit. 🌼
Here’s your Spring Sunday Reset Ritual for the first Sunday of Spring:
🪷 Mindful Moment: Open the windows, let the sunlight in, and spend a few quiet minutes journaling or meditating. Reflect on what’s growing in your life — and what you’re ready to release. 🌤️
🌿 Move Your Body: Step outside for a walk, stretch in the sunshine, or flow through a few yoga poses. Feel your body wake up and soak in that spring energy.
🌸 Plan with Intention: Look ahead at your week with a sense of calm and possibility. Jot down your priorities, sprinkle in moments of joy, and make space for self-care.
💛 This Sunday, focus less on productivity and more on presence.
Let this fresh season remind you — growth doesn’t happen in a rush. It happens when you slow down, breathe, and let yourself bloom. 🌷
03/21/2026
Thinking Ahead Matters — Join One of Our Advance Care Planning Information Sessions
NSMHPCN invites you to learn more about planning for future health care decisions at our upcoming Advance Care Planning (ACP) Information Sessions!
📅 In-Person Session: Tuesday, April 14th
📍 NSMHPCN Office, 169 Front Street South, Orillia
📅 Virtual Session: Thursday, April 16th
📍Zoom
These free sessions will guide you through the essentials of making informed and meaningful decisions about your future care, including:
- Understanding the laws around health care consent in Ontario
- Learning who your Substitute Decision Makers (SDMs) are
- When and why to consider a Power of Attorney
- How to start ACP conversations with your SDM
- Ways to discuss your goals of care with loved ones and health providers
Myth: SUDEP only happens to people who miss their epilepsy medication doses.
Fact: Did you know? Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) can affect anyone living with epilepsy—even those who never miss a dose and have well-controlled seizures. Canadian paediatric registries show 67% of child SUDEP cases occur under age 10, often despite management. It strikes about 1 in 1,000 adults yearly, with higher rates in young kids (0.26-0.43 per 100,000 live births/children).
By busting this myth, we reduce blame and stigma—knowledge saves hearts and prepares families. Hospice Orillia offers bereavement support for any sudden loss (no prior service needed), including epilepsy-related grief, perinatal/infant groups, and peer connections.
Need support? We're here. Learn more: hospiceorillia.ca 💜
Grief is a journey you don’t have to walk alone. 💚
At Hospice Orillia, we offer compassionate bereavement support for anyone coping with the loss of a loved one. Whether you need a safe space to share, listen, or simply be, our programs are open to all ages, backgrounds, and faiths.
Looking for more personalized support? Connect 1:1 with a trained Hospice Orillia volunteer for up to four private sessions so you can explore your grief in a way that feels right for you.
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month—a powerful reminder that taking action today can protect your tomorrow.
Colorectal cancer is common, but early detection makes it highly preventable. Don’t wait for symptoms: start the conversation now. If you’re 45 or older, or have a family history, ask your doctor about screening options. A simple test could make all the difference.
Let’s look out for ourselves and each other. Encourage your loved ones to make their health a priority—sometimes the most caring thing you can do is help someone schedule that appointment.
Together, we can turn awareness into action and save lives.
03/17/2026
🌍 Celebrating World Social Work Day
Today we join social workers around the world in honouring the dedication, compassion, and courage that define this profession. This year’s theme inspires us to co-build hope and harmony—a reminder that positive change begins when we come together with empathy and shared purpose.
As IFSW President Joachim Mumba beautifully shared:
“Social workers are present in every corner of society, standing alongside communities as they navigate adversity. We walk with people as they rebuild bonds, restore trust and strengthen resilience. The call to co-build hope and harmony reminds us that no challenge is too great when we move forward together. This is the spirit of the People’s Charter for an Eco-Social World: an invitation to connect humanity through shared values, shared responsibility and shared hope. It urges us to work collectively for a world where dignity, participation, sustainability and peace form the foundation of our common future.”
On this day, we celebrate those who walk beside individuals and families through life’s most difficult moments—championing dignity, inclusion, and a better world for all. This includes our very own Stefanie and Sidney, both whom walk with our clients as they navigate some of life's difficult journeys. Thank you Stefanie and Sidney for all that you do!
🌼 Meet the Team Monday: Wishing Alessia Naula the Best on Her Journey! 🌼
This week, we’re celebrating Alessia Naula, our Social Work Student at Hospice Orillia! 💜
Alessia holds a degree in Gender & Women’s Studies and is currently completing her Bachelor of Social Work at Lakehead University. With a passion for supporting individuals experiencing grief, loss, and gender-based violence, Alessia has made a meaningful contribution during her time with our team.
As she completes her placement and continues her path toward becoming a Social Worker, we want to thank Alessia for her compassion, dedication, and thoughtful presence. We’re excited to see the amazing impact she’ll continue to make in the field of social work! 🌟
03/15/2026
As we Reset, Refocus, and Restart, try choosing one gentle practice to support your mind, body, and spirit:
✨ Reflect & Release: Notice what you’re carrying and allow yourself to gently set one thing down.
✨ Self-Care Rituals: Create a small daily practice that nourishes you, even if it’s just five quiet minutes.
✨ Connect with Nature: Step outside, feel the air on your skin, and let the season remind you to slow down.
✨ Set Seasonal Intentions: Choose a simple intention that fits this time of year and your current capacity.
✨ Gratitude Practice: Name one person, moment, or comfort you’re grateful for today.
✨ Gentle Goal-Setting: Instead of a long to‑do list, pick one kind, realistic goal for yourself this week.
You don’t have to do them all. Even one small, compassionate step is enough. 💜
Which gentle practice will you try today? Share in the comments and inspire others in our community.
03/14/2026
Discover calm and connection at Hospice Orillia through Complementary Therapy! 🌿
Experience gentle, holistic support that nurtures your body, mind, and spirit alongside medical care. Our Reiki sessions offer deep relaxation, ease tension, and create peaceful moments for clients and caregivers alike.
Ready to learn more? Swipe through to see how Complementary Therapy can bring comfort and well-being to your care journey.
✨ Scan the QR code to connect with us and explore our offerings!
03/13/2026
🌟 Myth vs. Fact Friday: Delirium Edition 🌟
MYTH: Delirium = Dementia
FACT: Delirium is a common and serious condition in older adults, marked by a sudden and severe disturbance in thinking. It can affect alertness, memory, orientation, speech, and reasoning. Unlike dementia, which is chronic memory loss, delirium is acute and attention-focused. Anyone can experience delirium, but those with dementia are at higher risk.
Recognizing delirium early is crucial—delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis can lead to worse outcomes. Let’s support our loved ones with compassion and clarity. 💙
Discover the heart of Hospice Orillia’s Visiting Volunteer Program! ❤️
Our dedicated volunteers bring comfort and companionship to those facing life-limiting illnesses, offering practical and emotional support right at home.
From sharing a warm cup of tea or a friendly game of chess, to creating peaceful moments through music and art—these simple acts make a world of difference. Every visit is tailored to bring dignity, joy, and connection wherever “home” may be.
Swipe to see how our volunteers transform lives, one meaningful moment at a time.
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Hospice Orillia offers practical, emotional and spiritual support to those in our community coping with advanced illness, death and bereavement. Our volunteers and staff serve clients and their loved ones of all ages and backgrounds with compassion and respect, while honouring their choices and supporting them through their life journey.
We believe that death is a part of life, a rite of passage. There is much that can be done to help individuals and their families face this time with dignity and quality in their lives. Each person is unique and his or her distinctness will be respected within an atmosphere of confidentiality.
Mission / Vision / Philosophy
Mission: Hospice Orillia offers practical, emotional and spiritual support to those in our community coping with advanced illness, death and bereavement. Our volunteers and staff serve clients and their loved ones of all ages and backgrounds with compassion and respect, while honouring their choices and supporting them through their life journey.
Vision: Hospice Orillia will be recognized as a leader in both providing and advocating for Hospice Palliative Care services within our community. We will enhance the awareness and understanding of the need for these services through education, collaboration and community involvement.
Philosophy: We believe that death is a part of life, a rite of passage. There is much that can be done to help individuals and their families face this time with dignity and quality in their lives. Each person is unique and his or her distinctness will be respected within an atmosphere of confidentiality.
Inclusion: Hospice Orillia is committed to creating and maintaining an environment free of discrimination where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, can contribute fully, and have equal opportunities. Hospice Orillia’s programs, services and opportunities will be accessible regardless of age, ancestry, colour, race, citizenship, ethnic origin, place of origin, creed, disability, family status, marital status, gender identity, gender expression, receipt of public assistance, record of offences, s*x, or s*xual orientation.
