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​Dear Friends, 

Thank you for another wonderful year. Your continued belief in our cause is much appreciated, and as a community you are very inspiring. You are loyal, dedicated and are people who care for others during their most difficult times. Thank you for caring for the individuals with life-limiting illnesses and their families we serve. Because of you, we can continue to provide our programs and services at no charge to them. 
 
Our 2022-2023 Fiscal year included incredible moments - many special garden visits by Residents, a wedding between two long-time lovers, laughter and singing by and from Day Hospice Guests, and so much more! Sadly, we also weathered some storms, mainly the storm in May of 2022, that resulted in damage to our Ruddy-Shenkman Hospice. While losing our roof was very scary, this was yet another example of how our community continues to rally together and support one another. In times of trouble, some great things still came out of it – neighbours, Hein construction and volunteers instantly came to the rescue. Residents formed special friendships while sharing rooms and were able to meet outside by Gayle’s Garden for a special Garden tea (see photo below).​

​Download our one-pager here. 

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Welcome to Your Impact 2022-2023, our Annual Report to the Community which covers stories, financial information and the impact you have made on Hospice Care Ottawa from April 1, 2022 - March 31, 2023.

This digital year in review, expands on our one-pager (click image on the left to review), allowing us to highlight all of your amazing accomplishments in more detail, while saving on printing costs to ensure optimal use of donor dollars. As you know, we rely on donors, volunteers and staff to thrive, and we hope you enjoy reading about all of the people you've helped over the year.

Please be sure to visit and review the content in all four tabs below. If you would prefer to receive this in print, please email us your request.  

We hope you enjoy our Annual Report to the Community and hope to see you again soon. 

Sincerely, ​

Benoît Hubert
​Chair of the Board

Lisa Sullivan
​Executive Director

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• Delivering Care & Compassion
• YOU Make It Happen
• Your Impact in Numbers
• Sharing Gratitude & Reminiscing

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Thanks to YOU!

Your generous support allows volunteers and staff to provide the best in-class care and compassion to individuals with life-limiting illnesses and their families. In this section, we will take you on a tour around Hospice Care Ottawa and share stories about the lives you have lifted, smiles you have created, and the life-long impact you have made in our various program areas. 

Day Hospice ​

Day Hospice brings JOY to everyone involved, not just the guests who participate in the weekly program. The staff and volunteers leave the day feeling happy and fulfilled but so do the wonderful community volunteers who come in to do specialized sessions with our Day Hospice guests. 

From hair dressers to speakers to therapists to virtual reality gurus to artists sharing their tricks of their craft to musicians, etc., all the way to the visitors and staff working in nearby offices – EVERY person who sees the magic of the program is continuously smiling overhearing the laughter, fun and comradery from our guests. Day Hospice brings joy to everyone at Hospice Care Ottawa, while also providing important personal time for our guest’s caregivers to attend to their own needs. 
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​Feedback from Day Hospice guests continues to be very positive - 98% of clients/caregivers receiving Day Hospice services felt their needs were met. Barry, who has attended Day Hospice at Ruddy-Shenkman Hospice since 2016, shares that being a part of the Day Hospice program, "not only helps with palliative care but also with how to live well with illness care". He also sees how hospice palliative care helps his peers at Day Hospice, and feels thankful that some get to be served all the way from diagnosis and arrival to Day Hospice program, to end-of-life care in Residence at our Hein House. ​

"Thank you May Court Hospice for supporting Denis at the end of his life. Denis died at home on Saturday morning. It is inconceivable that we now have to go on without him but we are comforted by the thought that he really did live his life to the fullest and has left an amazing legacy of caring, courage and love.
 
The May Court Day Hospice program had a profound and positive impact on Denis. He was always keen on being part of a group and he loved being part of this program. We sincerely thank you and your team for all that you did for us and for Denis".

- Ken & Francine, Denis' Parents

Denis, an avid musician, was 35 years old. Click below to hear him playing at Day Hospice during one of his last visits. 

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Grief, Bereavement & Family Support Team

Caregivers and family members are often surprised to learn we have counselling available to them at no charge. This is thanks to your generous donations. "Our Family Support Counsellors are happy to be a “neutral” person for the individuals we care for and/or their family members to speak openly to about their feelings who aren't family or friends (although this support is also crucial). We are people they can be honest with, without fear of judgement", Shirley Chennette, Family Support Team Lead. 

One story we won't soon forget was of a younger family who had decided that mom would die at home but as things progressed, the family changed their mind. Fortunately, we were able to get her into our Residential Hospice care for about one day before she died. While this was a huge loss for her husband and two young children, they now have access to our Family Support Team counselling, which helps make a very sad situation a little bit easier.

Our Grief & Bereavement Coordinator and volunteers hosted walks, retreats, reflection sessions and more. Heartfelt feedback from someone who attended a spousal loss group session shared, “Thanks is not sufficient to express the gratitude I have for having had this opportunity”. Staff and volunteers often hear about people who meet in these sessions who then go on to build wonderful relationships through shared experiences and socialize outside of the group and build nurturing friendships with one another. This peer support is invaluable, as is what you do for these people thanks to your generous donations. 

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In-Home Support 

We know that many people want to stay at home for as long as possible. For them, receiving regular visits from highly-trained Hospice volunteers, under the care and oversight of a Registered Nurse, is a familiar face in a system where home care is stretched. Our survey we conducted amongst clients who use this service determined that 99% of individuals and/or their caregivers receiving In-Home Support services felt their needs were met by Hospice Care Ottawa. ​

• "Continued support by a dedicated volunteer provides a constant in a world where different care providers are coming in and out of our home."

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Residence Care 

Thanks to our supporters, staff and volunteers, we were able to serve 281 individuals in Residence this year, helping to relieve family members of the caregiving roles and tasks, and allowing them to focus on being the son, daughter, parent, husband, and/or wife they always were to their loved one. Your gift of care and compassion has allowed people to focus on what is most important during these last moments. 

Seventy-three percent of admissions to Residence were from people still living at home, which means your support has helped people access, 24-hour care and support. Coming from home, Residents may have been totally dependent on their caregivers or various visiting heath care professionals. We know that being at Hospice Care Ottawa means specialized care and compassion delivered by a more limited number of health care professionals and volunteers. 

Thank you to the 111 specially trained Residence Volunteers. Together, this group of champions volunteered almost 11,000 hours of time spent delivering specialize care and compassion to our Residents and their family members.

“I can never thank the nurses, volunteers and doctors who cared for my sister Phyllis at the end of her life. She thought she was in a five-star hotel with all the attention she received. Knowing she was comfortable and content meant the world to the family. The May Court is a first-class facility and Phyllis’ family will never forget the care we all received.”

"Thank you for the excellent care our father is receiving at Hospice. Our family is truly grateful to know he will finally find comfort and peace in your care".

Donors Make it Happen

We rely on donations to provide care and comfort to the individuals and families we serve. Thank you for your continued support of our organization and the things we do. Here are some of the interesting facts about how our small but mighty community successfully raised $2,381,553.  

We also want to take this opportunity to extend a special thank you to our donors who have planned their philanthropy in advance. We are so honoured to receive gifts like this during one's lifetime and beyond - this is a powerful way to positively impact the future of Hospice Care Ottawa.

To learn more about various ways to support Hospice Care Ottawa, please click here and scroll down halfway to read more about the various opportunities, and/or please reach out to our Director, Fund Development & Communications Hilary Evans, to learn more.  

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Our Vital Volunteers 

Once again, our volunteers contributed an amazing number of hours in all areas of Hospice Care Ottawa. Our volunteers have contributed three years of time within one year - thank you! Of all hours, 57% were spent delivering direct care to the individuals and families we serve. Thank you to these wonderful souls! Also, during this period, 56 volunteers completed their Hospice Palliative Care Core Volunteer Training ​to enable them to provide direct care.

We love celebrating our volunteers!

Below we have photos from our Annual Volunteer Appreciation Event that was held during Volunteer Week, homemade treats to say thank you, and the group who represented us at the 2022 HPCO Conference, including June Callwood Award Winner, Tony Greig. 

Thank you to Hospice Care Ottawa's Board of Directors. Please click on their names to read more about them and what draws them to Hospice. 

Benoît Hubert	Chair of the Board
Wendy Nicklin	Vice Chair
​Stephanie Elyea	Treasurer
Ioanna Sahas Martin	Secretary
Bruno Carchidi Jocelyne Contant William Cuff Barbara Hogberg Sylvie Lalonde Barbara McNally Susan Murray ​Michael Pentland Melissa Salvatore  Lynne Toupin	Directors
Dr. Daniel Vincent, Medical Director Lisa Sullivan, Executive Director Christine Beelen, Past President / The May Court Club of Ottawa	Ex-Officio Members

The Year in Numbers

Laughter filling the room from Day Hospice Guests, loved ones receiving counselling at no charge and long-time lovers being married at our Hein House would not be possible without the generosity of our supporters. Every event, in-memoriam donation, gift in someone’s will, no matter the size, makes a HUGE impact on the care we provide for individuals with life-limiting illnesses and their families we serve.
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Thank you for the continued support, we are incredibly grateful to be surrounded by such a strong, caring community!

Here is a breakdown of Hospice Care Ottawa's revenue and expenses for Fiscal Year 2022-2023. To review a more in-depth report, please click here​ to review our Audited Financial Statements.

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Celebrating our Special Events - Hike, Holes & Homes!

​Hike for Hospice was virtual on Sunday, May 1, 2022. Thank you to our participants for your ongoing dedication to the cause. With each conversation about Hike for Hospice, you are raising awareness for our special cause. 

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Holes for Hospice was hosted by the Ottawa District Funeral Service Association, who were thrilled to welcome the new Presenting Sponsor, "The Elizabeth Hale Family". Dave Hale, CEO of Craft & Crew, was happy to get involved in the annual tournament to honour his mom Elizabeth, who spent her last days at Hein House. Click here to learn more about the family's story. 

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Homes for the Holidays & Pop-Up Shop was back at it for another successful year! The 2022 Homes for the Holidays Home Tour went virtual for a third year in a row which allowed the community to view beautifully decorated homes by local florists, while supporting the signature event! The Pop-Up Shop thrived as we welcomed back savvy shoppers to purchase baked goods, crafts and various items from local vendors while supporting the event! ​

For 2023, we are BACK in person for our exciting event! Keep an eye out for ticket sales launching in late September here.

You're Impact on Care

Your generosity impacts the individuals and families we serve, every day. We love sharing stories of how you have helped others and continue to further our mission of caring for individuals with life-limiting illnesses and their families at no charge. If you are interested in reading more or keeping up to date on the latest news, please click here. 

“I wish to thank you and your incredible team of caregivers who have provided Barb with dignity and compassion in her greatest hour of need. Sometimes in life, you get these little glimpses of the best humanity has to offer. They appear out of nowhere and they ask nothing in return. 3 weeks ago, I had never heard of the May Court Hospice. When I first heard of it, my reaction was “NO”, I am not sending my wife away to die! After an awakening type of discussion on the subject with our doctor, I was convinced that I could be a better husband by being a husband and leaving the hard work to you. In the little over 2 weeks that Barb and I spent with you, I have been in constant admiration of the care, love, and tenderness that everyone has shown Barb. You are ALL most incredible. Our eternal gratitude."
- Rick, Former Resident's Husband 

“Thank you for taking such great care of my Grandpa during his last weeks with us. Your caring and kind approach really helped to make a difficult situation more bearable for my Mom and aunts and uncle. The family will not forget the great care he received with you.”
- Granddaughter

A Look Back into 2022 - 2023

Please scroll back up and be sure to read content in all four tabs. 

Thank you for your continued support of Hospice Care Ottawa. Do you like our new format? Let us know by emailing us at info@hospicecareottawa.ca.

Come celebrate and learn more at our Annual General Meeting on October 4, 2023. To learn more, please click here.