- by Anne Finlay-Stewart, Editor

We all hope for an easy entry into this life, and a peaceful exit.
Where would you like to be? What do you want to leave behind?

The VON (Victoria Order of Nurses) offers a service for people with a life-limiting or life-threatening illness. Whether the journey is long or short, gentle or a struggle, trained volunteers from the VON can provide support.

For those who want to spend as much time as possible at home, wherever the end may be, the VON offers palliative care to complement the medical and clinical caregivers.
More than seventy trained volunteers have spent over 4000 hours providing support in people's homes – maybe for weeks, or sometimes for years.

VON volunteers pride themselves in making the best cup of tea in Grey-Bruce, but they may also help a client make homemade cookies to leave in the freezer for a future cup neither of them will share.

A person may want help journalling their final journey, to leave something behind. A volunteer who does not have the same emotional investment may be the best listener. One volunteer helped a young mother who wanted to leave personalized birthday cards for her children to open in years to come.

By the time the end of life approaches, there is already a relationship of trust built. As new caregivers and services come and go, there is a continuity of care through the volunteer.

The VON program covers all of Grey and Bruce Counties, except the Bruce Peninsula itself which has its own service, Bruce Peninsula Hospice. There is no cost at all for any of the services of the palliative program.

Volunteers are always welcome, trained in three 3-hour sessions over eight weeks, learning what to expect and just how to “be” with people and their families at this stage of life.

People often say “I never knew” - what they would need and what services and supports were available in our Grey-Bruce communities. The conversation should start early in families, so that we can make the best choice for ourselves and the people we love when the decisions need to be made.

VON's services do not end with a death. Bereavement support closes the circle, continuing the trusting relationship with the same volunteer as long as needed, or joining a bereavement group. Every other Wednesday there is a walking group for the grieving at the Bayshore, again with trained volunteers. Some just like that time of company, maybe going out for coffee afterwards, and that may be the only contact they have with the service.

Follow the VON on Facebook for more information, and details about an upcoming talk in Kincardine by Kathy Kortes-Miller, the author of Talking About Death Won't Kill You.