No, it is not. The word “hospice,” is a term that is often associated with an organization that runs a facility with beds, where people go to die. However, the word “hospice” is also a philosophy of care. The term hospice includes ideas and attitudes that direct and manage the care of the dying while offering support to families. Currently, there is no free-standing residential hospice in Thunder Bay.

No, Hospice Northwest is an independent, not-for-profit agency separate from St. Joseph’s Care Group. Even though Hospice Northwest works with St. Joseph’s Care Group, and our volunteers visit patients on the St. Joseph’s Hospital hospice unit and the long-term care homes they operate, we are NOT the same organization.

Palliative care is an approach to care for patients and families facing a life-limiting illness. Palliative care helps patients achieve the best possible quality of life right up until the end of life.

Palliative care does not end when someone has died. Family members often need support as they grieve the loss of a loved one. Bereavement programs are offered in combination with palliative care.

The term hospice care refers to palliative care provided in a homelike setting. Hospice care can be provided in an individual’s home, hospice facility like St. Joseph’s Hospital hospice unit, or in a residential hospice licensed to provide palliative care. Thunder Bay does not currently have a residential hospice.

In Canada, palliative care and hospice care share the same principles. While palliative care programs were developed primarily within larger health care institutions, hospice care programs were developed as community volunteer based organizations.

End-of-life care refers to services provided to patients who are in the final stages of advanced life-limiting illness.

Curative care involves treatment to cure or eradicate disease. Palliative care occurs when a person is diagnosed with a life-limiting illness. Palliative care provides a holistic approach and symptom management designed to improve the person’s comfort and quality of life.

Hospice Northwest is partially funded by Noojmawing Sookatagaing (Healing Working Together) Ontario Health Team and FNIHB (First Nations and Inuit Health Branch).

Yes, because only a portion of the budget is provided by a variety of sources such as Noojmawing Sookatagaing (Healing Working Together) Ontario Health Team and FNIHB (First Nations and Inuit Health Branch), we rely substantially on the generosity of community donors. Memorial donations and fundraising initiatives are necessary for us to continue to offer our programs and services.

The annual budget changes from year to year. All financial information regarding operational costs of Hospice Northwest can be found in our AGM report, which is available here. All of our budget is put towards administering our programs and services, recruiting, training, supporting and coordinating volunteers, processing client referrals, matching volunteers and clients, and managing client services.

Hospice Northwest has regional support with a dedicated Regional Coordinator who administers programs in Nipigon, Terrace Bay/Schreiber, Marathon, Geraldton, and Manitouwadge. Services in those communities are delivered through partnerships with hospitals and family health teams.

Hospice Northwest volunteers provide support to people who are at the end of life in the client’s home, hospital or long-term care facility or wherever the client needs support. The role of the hospice volunteer is determined by the needs of the individual client and their family members. Hospice Northwest volunteers also offer support to people who are grieving.

Anyone 18 years or older can apply to become a Hospice Northwest volunteer. We welcome adults of all ages, ethnic origins or religious backgrounds who possess sensitivity, compassion, good communication skills and a desire to help others.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, you are required to fill out a volunteer application form either online, on our website or in person at our office located at 63 Carrie Street. You can also call our Volunteer Coordinator, Melissa Hazen, at 807-626-5572 for more information.

Volunteers must be:

• able to maintain confidentiality
• at least 18 years of age
• willing to complete a Police Record Check, which includes a Vulnerable Sector Check (PVSC). The results will determine eligibility
• able to provide 2 personal references
• willing to complete the training program
• able to commit a period of time to hospice volunteering (e.g., 3 hours per week for at least one year) following completion of training
• available to check in with Hospice Northwest staff on an ongoing basis for support, supervision and education purposes
• a compassionate ‘people person’ who is non-judgmental, accepting, self-confident and sensitive to others’ needs

Because most of our clients are ill and vulnerable, we need to ensure that their safety is our number one priority. Rigorous screening measures are required by our governing bodies to ensure clients are never put at risk.

We recommend that you discuss the criminal charge with the Volunteer Coordinator when you apply. Your situation will be kept in strict confidence and will be carefully considered by staff. Your eligibility will be determined on an individual basis, considering the type of charge, the length of time that has passed since the charge occurred, and the type of volunteering you are interested in. Once a decision has been made about your eligibility, the Volunteer Coordinator will inform you of the decision.

Once accepted into the volunteer training program, each volunteer completes a rigourous provincially mandated training course endorsed by Hospice Palliative Care Ontario, which is both online and through in-person sessions delivered by a richly diverse group of local community professionals. The volunteer training program is designed to cover all aspects of a dying person’s experience so that hospice volunteers can fully empathize and support their clients effectively. The Volunteer Coordinator will contact successful applicants to let them know the dates of the training, which is usually held annually in the spring and fall.

Hospice Northwest has volunteers in various stages of online training throughout the year. During the in-person training sessions, the number of attendees varies from year to year.

Training is held both online and in person in the HNW office at 63 Carrie St. Successful candidates for the program will be notified and informed of training details by the Volunteer Coordinator and Regional Program Coordinator.

Most volunteers have experienced the death of a loved one and want to help others going through that experience. But this is not required; good hospice volunteers will develop this knowledge through training and their natural compassion and desire to help.

After training, hospice volunteers must sign a commitment agreement that states they will be available for up to three hours per week.

Hospice Northwest volunteers visit wherever the client is living. Locations could be a private residence, long-term care facility, hospital or shelter. Our volunteers usually travel to the client’s home. Your location preference will be considered when you are matched with your client.

No. The volunteer training program is free and offered continuously.

The work of a hospice volunteer is demanding but rewarding. We strive to make the essential human experience of death and loss less frightening through a holistic approach that enhances people’s dignity, self-worth and sense of connectedness.

Some of the things a Hospice Northwest volunteer can do to help their clients include:

• offering active listening and non-judgmental acceptance of the client’s journey
• being an advocate for their client to ensure he/she receives optimal care
• assisting the individual and family to achieve meaning and satisfaction at this difficult time
• relieving caregivers
• complementing the role of family members
• providing practical assistance with shopping, making phone calls, writing letters, getting to appointments and outings in the community
• offering comforting activities such as reading, music and playing cards
• providing compassionate support and companionship

Hospice Northwest has several fundraisers throughout the year, and often our volunteers are invited to participate in various ways. Many volunteers enjoy coming out for events such as the Hike for Hospice and lending their support to these important activities as part of our Hospice Northwest team, but participation is always voluntary.

Yes, you can contact the office and sign up as a non-palliative care volunteer. These volunteers do not need to attend the volunteer training program.

Hospice volunteers are usually matched with clients who live nearby so that we can keep the cost of travel down to a minimum. Volunteers are asked to donate the costs of travel and are issued a charitable donation receipt.

Hospice Northwest volunteers are required to wait a minimum of one year after the death of an immediate family member or loved one before they begin visiting their first client.

Our Volunteer Coordinator will be happy to meet with you to discuss your suitability and answer any questions you might have. Please call Melissa Hazen at 807-626-5572 to discuss your suitability.

No. Hospice Northwest volunteers do not administer medications or perform any nursing duties.

While we hope to retain as many trainees as possible, we do understand that being a hospice volunteer may not be a perfect fit for everyone that completes the training course. We also believe the training you receive will never be wasted, as you will have gained skills and information that you will find useful in your personal life.

The number of hospice volunteers changes from year to year, but the count is usually around 145+ in Thunder Bay and the District.  

Hospice Northwest volunteers reside in outlying areas of Thunder Bay, as well as in the communities of Geraldton, Schreiber and Terrace Bay, Marathon, Manitouwadge and Nipigon. Volunteers are matched with clients in the same area to keep travel to a minimum.

Hospice Northwest volunteers are an important part of a dying person’s palliative care team. Teams can include their family physician, specialists, nurses, CCAC case coordinator, spiritual advisor, dietician, social worker, etc. Hospice volunteers take on the role of a compassionate, confidential listener, which is something the clinical team members are often unable to provide.

A post-training interview will be scheduled with the Volunteer Coordinator or Regional Program Coordinator. During that time, you will discuss your schedule and preferences, and then you will be matched with a client. Even though we try to place available volunteers with clients in a timely fashion, it may take weeks or months to place you with a client depending on the referrals we receive.

The staff of Hospice Northwest will provide emotional support, guidance and resources to assist you in all aspects of your role. Our goal is to retain satisfied volunteers who feel connected to our agency and wish to continue to use and develop their skills.

No, referrals to Hospice Northwest can come from anyone – from the person who is ill, a family member, friend, or from anyone else who believes the service might be appropriate – providing the person being referred for service is aware of and consents to the referral. Online referrals are available.

Hospice Northwest’s palliative care services and grief and bereavement programs and services are offered at no cost to the individual. Because there are costs involved in providing these services, Hospice Northwest puts on fundraising events to help subsidize our operating costs. Our clients and their families are invited to support our events.

The staff of Hospice Northwest tries to achieve a balance between the needs of the volunteer and those of the client and family. If a volunteer is willing and a family is in need, overnight support may be requested, but it is not a service that is regularly offered.

Hospice palliative care is not just for the final days or months of life. It’s a holistic approach that includes pain and symptom management, hospice caregiver support, spiritual care, bereavement and much more. While it is commonly used at end-of-life, it by no means indicates the patient will die soon. In fact, hospice services often improve and enrich the quality of a person’s life.

Hospice Northwest volunteers offer emotional support for caregivers, whether the dying family member is or isn’t one of our clients. We also offer respite support so that you can take some time away from the tasks of caregiving, knowing that someone will be present in your home with your loved one while you are away.

Yes, our Grief and Bereavement services include confidential one-to-one support for up to six months and a therapeutic six-week grief support group offered three to four times per year.

Yes, Hospice Northwest offers a lending library full of helpful hospice resources open to the public, community educational events such as Die-alogues, and much more.

No, Hospice Northwest provides support wherever the individual is currently living. This may include their home, long-term care facility or a hospital. The Hospice Northwest volunteer will usually follow the individual even when their location changes. This helps provide continued care through the client’s end of life journey.

No, our programs and services are available to anyone who requires them, regardless of age. Our volunteers have provided companionship and care to young children with terminal illnesses, teens struggling with grief after a loss and adults of all ages who require support.  

No, Hospice Northwest provides support to individuals who have a prognosis of one year or less, regardless of diagnosis.

No, we respect all faiths, and when clients need specific types of spiritual support, we often call upon clergy to help.

Yes, Hospice Northwest volunteers are usually part of the home care team that provides palliative care at home to a person who chooses to die at home.

The sooner the family is connected to Hospice Northwest, the sooner they will have access to the palliative care support of our agency and a carefully matched volunteer. Contact may be made for support from office staff before a client is ready to be matched with a hospice volunteer.