'Connection is everything': Kamloops Hospice is the heartbeat of community

Perched on a hill in the Peterson Creek parklands of Kamloops is a very large home with a powerful and profoundly valuable purpose. Kamloops Hospice connects families, volunteers, local businesses and organizations, and while it’s all designed to provide a space for loved ones to die, the hospice is remarkably alive with hope and joy. “This is our home, we don’t use the word facility, we stay away from the clinical feel, we never want people to feel like they’re in a hospital,” said hospice fund development lead Sarah Irvine who gave iNFOnews.ca a tour of the home, Nov. 29. The atmosphere at the hospice is calming and the volunteers are cheerful. There's a steady hum of activity, the sounds of laughter and conversation, and the smells of bacon wafting down the hallways. Added to the comfortable furnishings and familiar décor, the hospice feels just like a family home. “There was a lot of thought that went into what this home would look like,” Irvine said. “This land was purchased so we’d be on park land and never have a new building put in front of us. All our patient rooms are on the left side of the building facing parkland.” A wide, brightly lit hallway runs through the facility, and every door opens to another small, cosy space, each designed to bring families together in comfort on their palliative journeys. “We put a lot of thought into spaces where families can take the patient out of the room and enjoy a visit around the Christmas tree with hot chocolate whatever time, day or evening,” Irvine said. Immediately inside the entrance is a resource room that is open to the public complete with a couch and library of bereavement and support books. “This is where people can come when they aren’t ready to have a conversation with someone yet, they just want to use our resources,” Irvine said. “We keep this stocked with information someone might need when they’ve been diagnosed with a palliative or end-of-life diagnosis.”  Further down the hall is the staff and volunteer kitchen, and the source of the savoury aromas in the home. The room is brightly lit by big windows showcasing a panoramic view of the city. There's a dining room table where families host gatherings, a puzzle table where a patient is puzzling, and a coffee nook, where one of over 100 hospice volunteers Ann Hammond is chatting with another volunteer. “It’s a beautiful place to be physically and emotionally,” she said. “It fills up your heart to be here. It feels like a home but better because you have so many people here to take care of one another.” Hammond has worked at the hospice for two years as a patient care volunteer, spending time chatting with patients. Irvine points to a small shelf with candle holders on it. It's where important ceremonies take place. “When someone passes, the family will select a candle they like and put it up on the counter and we’ll keep it lit for 24 hours,” she said. Moving through the facility, Irvine points to different pieces of furniture that were donated by members of the community. Bouquets of flowers are regularly donated by local flower shops. Art pieces on the walls were donated by artists in the community, and handmade quilts by local quilting groups. “Everyone has added a piece here, it is all about connection and we’re so grateful for that," she said.  Irvine stops at an ‘appreciation station’ where colourful notes are pinned to a string. “It’s a place where family members and staff can write notes to each other, notes of gratitude or sharing good news,” she said. “It’s nice for other families to walk through and read them. Appreciation is everything in the line of work we do, along with positivity and kindness.” The hospice has 12 beds available with patients typically staying anywhere from 24 hours to three months. In April, thanks to donations raised by Cassie’s Charity Drive https://infotel.ca/newsitem/in-video-kamloops-family-putting-up-55000-christmas-lights-for-charity-drive/it107296 , an annual fundraiser for hospice in Kamloops, the beds were replaced with cuddle beds that fold out widthwise and lengthwise to accommodate larger people and family members who want to snuggle with their loved one. “We’ve had people with beautiful stories of enjoying the beds, and patients said the comfort and having extra space is amazing,” Irvine said. “The staff have noticed people enjoying being able to snuggle. “One lady said this is a game changer because something she struggled with when she was losing her husband was the fact they’d always slept in bed together, that in itself is cool.” READ MORE: It takes a village: How a BC ski resort gets ready for opening day https://infotel.ca/newsitem/it-takes-a-village-how-a-bc-ski-resort-gets-ready-for-opening-day/it107259 The need for beds fluctuates, and Interior Health spearheads the admissions process. “You have to have certain qualifications to come to hospice, there are factors that need to be taken into consideration,” Irvine said. “You may have a palliative diagnosis and still have many years to live. It’s what differentiates between a long-term, a short-term or a end-of-life facility. “Some people want to pass in their homes or be in a certain place, it’s different for everyone.” Irvine looks through a window at the park grounds outside. Outside of the building is a pathway that goes around the entire property, big enough to push a bed along. There benches to sit on and immaculate blooming gardens to enjoy in the warmer months. “We get past family members whose loved ones passed more than 15 years ago and every year we see them sitting on a bench, it’s where they feel most connected,” Irvine said. Many staff and volunteers working at the hospice develop close connections with the patients and their families, and processing the deaths is difficult. “I think the longer a patient is with us the harder it makes it, the bond gets stronger and stronger, it’s one of the hardest parts of working for hospice," she said. "We have a lot of self care training and supports in place, recognizing it can be a real impactful part of working here.” READ MORE: iN VIDEO: How a Kamloops bakery makes its popular sourdough bread  https://infotel.ca/inwine/in-video-how-a-kamloops-bakery-makes-its-popular-sourdough-bread/it107305 When a patient dies, their name is put on a paper butterfly on a wall in the hallway, and once a year staff and volunteers have a special burning ceremony. “We burn the butterflies, we talk about the patient, say their names and tell their stories,” Irvine said. “Those ashes are spread in our outdoor gardens. It’s spiritual for us, it’s a way to say goodbye and let that go.” The Kamloops hospice is a stand -alone facility, meaning it is not run by a health authority, one of three of its kind in the province. Interior Health accounts for 51 per cent of the funding for the hospice that helps keep the clinical end of operations equipped. The remainder of the required operational costs – roughly $1.3 million annually – comes from grants, community funding and proceeds from events. These costs are rising every year with the cost of living. “It’s the unforeseen things that come up that leave us reeling,” Irvine said. “We buy a ton of groceries, every dollar counts. We rely heavily on volunteers." READ MORE: iN PHOTOS: Renowned Kamloops photographer Peter Olsen on the trade, his connection to the city https://infotel.ca/newsitem/in-photos-renowned-kamloops-photographer-peter-olsen-on-the-trade-his-connection-to-the-city/it107366 The hospice has a thrift shop called Flutter Buys in the Brocklehurst neighbourhood that contributes financially, and numerous community initiatives where volunteers work hard to support the home. “Connection is everything and that is what I’d say binds us all together, the power of connection and the importance of connection," Irvine said. “It’s sitting with someone and not being in a rush to get somewhere else.” Go here to learn more about Kamloops Hospice, donate or sign up to volunteer. https://kamloopshospice.com/ To contact a reporter for this story, email Shannon Ainslie mailto:sainslie@infonews.ca  or call 250-819-6089 or email the editor mailto:news@infonews.ca . 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