The Healthy End of Life Project (HELP) Ottawa aims to understand the needs of those living with frailty, chronic or life-limiting illness, those nearing the end of life, caregivers, and the bereaved. Further, HELP Ottawa aspires to create compassionate communities that empower members to feel comfortable and confident while attending to those needs (e.g. checking in on an isolated neighbour, offering support to someone who recently lost a loved one, asking a community member for assistance while caring for an aging parent). Heather McGrath, Community Facilitator for HELP at Orleans United Church (OUC), have been busy having conversations with OUC members discussing support programs and services available through the church. In doing so, they discovered how this faith-community acts as a source of spiritual growth, learning, and social connection for an ever-growing congregation.
https://carleton.ca/socialwork/healthy-end-of-life-project/
Hope Arising dedication’
Read about our HELP Hints that have been in the bulletin this past year.
HELP HINTS DURING STRESSFUL TIMES
- Restrict your access to the news to once a day, preferably not before bedtime, and only for 15 minutes
- Offer financial support, clothing etc. to the different agencies on Ottawa supporting Ukrainians.
- Walk outside, meditate, be in communion with God. Prayer works.
- Reach out to someone who is isolated.
- Talk it out but only for 15 minutes a day.
- Every day write down 3 things you are grateful for.
This conversation, sponsored by Compassionate Ottawa, between Dr. Kerrie Noonan from Australia and Dr. Pam Grassau, lead investigator of HELP Ottawa, touches on compassionate communities in Australia, the successes and challenges of building a compassionate community, and a way to understand more about a community’s skills, experience, social actions, and knowledge surrounding death, dying, caregiving and loss.