CFCR COMMUNITY CONNECT – February 2025
Welcome to CFCR Community Connect – where we help to connect you with local community organizations in Saskatoon.
Prairie Hospice Society is the Community Connect feature for the month of February 2025!
Prairie Hospice Society is a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to providing a palliative approach to clients in the community living with a life limiting illness, by providing compassionate, community-based support in Saskatoon. Their mission is to improve the quality of life for individuals facing advanced illness, death, and bereavement, no matter where they call home. They offer one-on-one companionship and non-medical support to clients and their families.
What is Prairie Hospice Society?
Prairie Hospice Society is a charitable, non-profit community organization working to ensure access to compassionate, community-based, support in Saskatoon. Our goal is to enhance quality of life of those facing advancing illness, death and bereavement wherever people call home. We provide one-on-one companionship and non-medical support for clients and their families.
Why is hospice care important?
One never thinks about illness until faced with the stark reality it – so many stages of emotion to be experienced and processed along with the living of everyday life. Our mobile culture has drawn what had been our traditional supports – our young people – to opportunities in other places near and far, often without the chance to be home often. Today, when there’s an illness in the family, there’s often a sudden void in help with daily tasks like getting to appointments, buying groceries, or simple daily comfort and companionship. Amplify managing a suddenly more complicated life, with the importance of being able to process all the profound thoughts that arise about death and dying (often even beyond the ability of family members to process). How comforting to have someone trained in dealing with just those issues.
A palliative approach supports individuals living with life limiting illness and their families. It is holistic care that focuses on quality of life by ensuring the individual’s physical symptoms are looked after and their emotional and spiritual needs are met, so that they may feel less isolated and each day feel that they can find quality of life, so they can die in comfort and with dignity.
How long has Prairie Hospice Society existed?
In 2013 Prairie Hospice Society launched Hospice Without Walls, a community program providing support so clients helping them to stay at home as long as possible. The main program is in-home 1 on 1 matched companionship with a matched volunteer. The volunteer meets the client where they are at, allowing the client to take the lead, to meet their needs.
In 2016, the Hospice Now program was added – this program providing a quick response service to clients and families. We offer rides for the client to appointments, pick up of groceries or do errands. Respite is offered to the family, so they can feel comfortable leaving the home. We also provide tasks in the home as needed like organizing, and sorting.
In 2019, Bereavement Support was added. A friendly voice, and open conversation. Volunteers provide support to clients designated family after their loved one has passed, by providing a series of check ins and offering clients a friendly voice and a safe place to grieve.
Who provides the care in the Prairie Hospice program?
Volunteers offer non-medical, practical and emotional support to people who are living with life limiting illness. All volunteer services are offered to clients free of charge. Prairie Hospice Society volunteers are provided with comprehensive training and the depth of understanding necessary to be skilled and empathic companions. Helping the individual navigate their end of life journey. We are helping them to live well until they die.
How does this happen?
Referrals are received from multiple sources, self, family, physicians, community organizations and the Saskatchewan Health Authority (CPAS). The Program Coordinators meet with the potential client, identify their needs and determine the program or programs that would best meet these needs. This may change as the clients needs change.
- Matched Companionship – non-medical care, including practical and emotional support, including a myriad of tasks depending on the needs, capacities, and desires of the clients and may include companionship, socialization, and transportation. Being present and helping the client meet their needs, “being there where the client is, walking with them on their journey”.
- Rides – to and from appointments, or to pick up medication, groceries etc. A friendly listening ear during the ride.
- Respite – providing some relief to care givers
- Bereavement support is offered to the family/friend following the death of the client, if they are interested, for up to one year. This is friendly support, not professional counselling.
What are the current challenges, plans and dreams?
We have a vision to ensure access to all palliative clients in Saskatoon, who identify their needs, and to ensure we have the resources to respond to these needs.
It is sustainable income to realize this vision. Last year alone we saw an 18% increase in service provided, and of that there was over 33% increase in need for rides. By understanding the resources needed to meet Saskatoon’s needs, we will be able to support and help train volunteers and coordinate ongoing education to provide the best service for clients in need.
Prairie Hospice Society services are provided free of charge to our clients. And with no government support you can imagine that fundraising is critical to our existence.
Prairie Hospice is funded through donations, sponsorships, grants and fundraising.
How can the community help support your organization?
You can join us in our mission by spreading the word about the important work of Prairie Hospice, participating in our fundraisers, making a donation, or volunteering your time, Together, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of those we serve.
