My journey with Hospice Orillia began as a quest to make a difference in the lives of those confronting the challenges of life-limiting illnesses and bereavement. The values of empathy, compassion, and community-driven care that Hospice Orillia embodies resonated deeply with my own beliefs, making it a natural fit for me to contribute to the organization’s mission.
The importance of my role:
Within the intricate tapestry of Hospice Orillia, each role fulfills a vital function in crafting comfort and solace for individuals grappling with bereavement or life-limiting illnesses. My journey commenced with a realization of the transformative influence that strategic fundraising and communication efforts can wield in the lives of those confronting such challenges. Driven by the organization’s unwavering commitment to providing comfort, dignity, and support, I felt a magnetic pull toward the cause, understanding that financial contributions and communication are pivotal in sustaining and expanding the much-needed services provided by Hospice Orillia. The alignment between my passion for supporting our community and the organization’s mission made this journey a natural and compelling one to undertake. Being able to share the incredible daily efforts of the Hospice Orillia team is a privilege that I hold dear to my heart, emphasizing the collective impact we can make in the lives of those we serve.
Comfort to clients:
The comfort that we bring to our clients and their loved ones is hard to measure. We are provided with the honour of being part of some of the most vulnerable moments in our client’s lives. Through our various programs, we can provide support to those facing life-limiting illness as well as those who are in their grief journey. Whether our client has been diagnosed with a life-limiting illness, lost a loved one or experienced the loss of a pregnancy, we are here to help. Our programs include:
Services currently available through the Hospice Orillia program:
Bereavement Support Services
- Overdose-Related Loss Support
- Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support
- COPE Facility Dog Trooper
- Equine Bereavement Support
- Peer Support Groups
- Peer One-on-One Support
- Youth Equine Bereavement Support
Visiting Hospice Services
- Complementary Therapies
- Footprints Legacy Project
- Supportive Counselling
- Visiting Volunteer Services
History of Hospice Orillia:
Hospice Orillia started in September 1988, at a meeting joining two groups; one community-based, one hospital-based. Both groups were interested in developing support services for terminally ill people of Orillia and area.
The hospital-based group had recently formed a friendly visiting network, and the community based group wished to support this service and extend it to the community. Also, the hope was to provide palliative care education to the community, so that terminally ill patients would experience improved medical care.
Hospice Orillia became incorporated in November 1989, and received a charitable number in early 1990. We became members of CHAO (Community Hospice Association of Ontario) in 1990.
In 2011, the Hospice Association of Ontario integrated with the Ontario Palliative Care Association, becoming Hospice Palliative Care Ontario. In 2012, Hospice Orillia received Level II accreditation with HPCO.
On June 3, 2014, Hospice Orillia and the North Simcoe Muskoka Palliative Care Network amalgamated. This merger resulted in a new name: The North Simcoe Muskoka Hospice Palliative Care Network. This integration was completed to improve the service delivery for both agencies, by using our administrative resources more effectively. Hospice Orillia continues to provide the same great hospice program the community has enjoyed for over 25 years. It operates formally as “Hospice Orillia – A Division of the North Simcoe Muskoka Hospice Palliative Care Network.”
Hospice Orillia achieved accreditation again in 2019 and reaccreditation in 2022 as an In-Home Hospice.
