The Olds and District Hospice Society has launched an initiative that will see volunteers help area seniors with advanced chronic illnesses navigate services in the community.
The Nav-CARE program – which stands for Navigation, Connecting, Assessing, Resourcing and Engaging – was recently conducted as an 18-month pilot project and is now being launched as a permanent program, say officials.
Society member and Nav-CARE volunteer Joanne Fewster took part in the pilot, teaming up with a local senior.
She explained that the volunteers help the seniors by putting them in contact with services available to help with day-to-day living.
“It’s for older adults with chronic illness that are wanting to stay in their homes,” said Fewster. “The volunteers try to support them. We promote emotional support and companionship.
“We try to provide them a knowledge of what services that are available in the town and area. For example, if they need a ride to the city we can get them a name for that so they could do it themselves. They do the phoning but we give them the information so they can do that.”
The Olds and District Hospice Society serves Olds and all of Mountain View County. The society worked with the University of British Columbia and the University of Alberta faculty of nursing on the research pilot project.
Kathy Kemmere is the chair of the hospice society's communications committee.
“We’ve finished the pilot project and are now embracing the program full time,” said Kemmere. “We feel there is such a need in the community. We are looking to the community to be aware of the program and refer clients to it.”
The Nav-CARE program will be discussed at the hospice society's annual general meeting on Oct. 16 at the Pomeroy Inn & Suites in Olds, starting at 7 p.m.
Wendy Duggleby, PhD and RN, is one of the organizers of the Nav-CARE program. She is scheduled to speak at the AGM.
“Her areas of research interest include gero-oncology, psychosocial oncology, family caregivers, palliative and end-of-life care,” said Kemmere.
“The goal of her research is to enhance quality of life for older adults and their families. Her program of research is entitled Living With Hope which includes research studies of hope for persons with advanced cancer, family caregivers and health-care providers.”
The hospice society would like people interested in becoming Nav-CARE volunteers (called navigators), as well as older residents with advanced chronic illness, to come forward and become part of the program, said Fewster.
“We want people to be aware of the program,” said Fewster. “We want to know that the program is coming and that they could be part of the program. We’ve finished the pilot project and now it’s coming back to see if we can get more clients.”
Fewster said she found the pilot project very worthwhile, both for herself and for her elderly client.
“I would have done anything for her to keep her in her home because she wanted to be there so badly,” she said. “We were able to keep her at home as long as we could.”
For more information on the Nav-CARE program or to volunteer or to refer someone to the program, visit hospiceolds.com or call Mary Smith at 403-586-9992.
