Hospice Kingston’s community hospice services programs and services are provided at no cost.
Please note: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic Hospice Kingston’s programs and services are operating with modified formats. Our dedicated volunteers continue to provide comfort and care to clients by phone, email and teleconference .Visits to clients living in long-term care homes as well as some in-person support groups have resumed.
Client Conversations: Tele-hospice
While in-person support is temporarily limited to long-term care homes, volunteers continue provide comfort and care to other clients by telephone, email, or video conferencing.
Client Conversations services include caregiver support, grief and bereavement support, and companionship.
In-Home Visiting Hospice/Respite
Trained volunteers offer compassionate companionship and support to address psychosocial, spiritual, emotional and practical needs of clients in their home. The program also offers respite for caregivers.
Volunteers do not replace the role of health care professionals. The Visiting Hospice Program complements existing health care services that are in place.
Care Coordination
The Care Coordinator helps identify individual needs and goals, and assists with system navigation, referrals, information, and advocacy while coordinating, and monitoring volunteer services.
Wellness Program
Hospice Kingston’s Wellness Program provides care and therapies that can augment traditional pain and symptom management. The therapies offered help reduce social isolation, provide emotional and spiritual support, and assist with maintaining cognition and motor skills.
The program:
- Promotes sharing and provides an opportunity to engage in activities that bring meaning and value to daily living
- Offers a supportive and confidential setting for education and sharing information. Members create friendships, receive and provide support, and express their feelings in a safe environment
- Provides respite to family members caring for their loved one
- Offers complementary therapies such as coping strategy workshops, art and music therapy, restorative yoga and mindfulness meditation.
Caregiver Support
The Caregivers Support Group offers opportunities for caregivers to:
- Learn new coping skills in a friendly environment
- Share knowledge and information about community resources
- Learn about helpful tools and caring for someone at end-of-life
- Connect with people who share a similar experience
Specially trained staff and volunteers facilitate caregiver support groups in a safe confidential environment.
Grief & Bereavement Support
Hospice Kingston’s Grief & Bereavement Service provides an opportunity for individuals to learn how to identify and process their emotions and facilitates the development of healthy coping skills to help begin the process of healing.
Bereavement support volunteers offer one-to-one support for 6-8 sessions and a seven-week bereavement support group, which runs several times throughout the year. Support is offered in a caring, compassionate, non-judgmental and confidential environment.
Volunteer Services
Volunteers are an integral part of our day to day operations. The achievements of Hospice Kingston are made possible by the volunteers who share their time and talents with the organization. They make a difference every day to the people we serve.
Volunteers initially receive a series of specialized Hospice Palliative Care Ontario (HPCO) training as well as specialized training for Community Hospice Services.
Hospice Kingston volunteers are actively involved in service delivery, fundraising, and administration.
To volunteer with Hospice Kingston complete the online form.
