Supports We Offer

Supportive Care Programs

Counselling

St. Joseph’s Hospice offers free short-term individual counseling to support our community. Our professional counselors provide compassionate care in a welcoming and comforting space within our hospice home.

Counselling provides an opportunity to explore feelings related to living with a palliative illness and the death of a loved one. Fear, sadness, anger, and confusion are natural to the grieving process and need expression. Personal and family counselling offers a safe place to name and express such feelings as well as to learn effective coping strategies. Those overwhelmed by or concerned about their grieving experience may benefit from this service.

To learn more please contact:
Supportive Care Administrative Assistant
admin.assistant@sjhospicelondon.com
Phone: 519-931-3474

Bereavement Support Groups

• H.E.A.L. (Helping Each Other to Acknowledge, Accept, and Learn from Loss)

  The HEAL support group assists to rebuild feelings of hope and alleviate suffering by

  offering a safe, calm space for healing, and for reflection on the narrative of death and loss.

  Six weeks closed group; registration and group readiness evaluation required.

• Exploring Grief

  This program is loosely based on Dr. Alan Wolfelt's Six Needs of Mourning which explores

  the connection between tasks of mourning and creative experiences to facilitate the

  expression of grief, loss, and transition. Informative handouts, grounding exercises, activity

  outlines, and coping strategies are provided to add to the participants' understanding of

  the complexities of grief. Each session includes a creative activity such as mask-making,

  intuitive collage, or painting. Expressive-arts activities enable individuals to externalize

  their grief, honour relationships with loved ones, and connect meaningfully with others.

  This group takes place in-person at Hospice. Maximum of eight participants. Six weeks

  closed group, two hours per session; registration required.

• Practicing Self Compassion

  Practicing Self Compassion explores the importance of self-care and compassion for the

  mind, body, and heart to ease suffering and nurture self-resilience. When someone is

  grieving, they may find it difficult to recognize grief as stress and practice self-care which

  may adversely affect overall wellness physically and emotionally. The “Practice of Self-

  compassion” focuses on the importance of self-care and compassion for the body and the

  heart. Topics encourage taking care of the self physically, emotionally, cognitively,

  socially, and spiritually. Practicing self-compassion can assist to rebuild feelings of hope

  and alleviate suffering by offering a safe, calm space for healing, learning and self-

  reflection.

  Six weeks closed group; registration required.

• Mindfulness for the Bereaved

  This group explores the connection between mind, body, and breath. Mindfulness

  bereavement support is about helping recently bereaved individuals acknowledge the truth

  of the moment they are in, even (or especially) when that moment hurts. One of the

  greatest anxieties in grief is the fear of overwhelm—the sadness, the loneliness, the anger,

  the shame, the guilt (whatever the dominant emotions are) threaten to overwhelm us far

  beyond our capacity to cope. The fear is unfounded, but it arises, nonetheless. Grounded

  awareness can be an effective tool to combat this sense of pending overwhelm.

  Six weeks closed group; registration required.

  • Understanding Your Grief

  Based on Dr. Alan Wolfelt’s book of the same name, this group aims to inform and support

  grievers. Each month, this psychoeducational group explores one of Dr. Wolfelt’s

  Touchstones and a different topic related to grief. Participants are welcome to attend as

  few or as many sessions as they wish.

  This is an online group, hosted on Zoom. Monthly drop-in group. One-time registration is

  required.

  • Men’s Coffee Club

  The Men’s Coffee Club is an informal, bi-weekly group where participants can meet and

  chat over light refreshments. This group gives men the opportunity to connect in a relaxed

  and supportive setting.

  Five-week closed group; registration required.

Wellness Programs: Offered to Bereaved and Caregiver Clients

• Step by Step

  This gentle walking group is designed to help you reconnect with the beauty of our

  neighbourhood, while enjoying the company of others. We walk (excluding statutory

  holidays) Rain or Shine.

  Open group, come as you please. Open to bereaved and caregiver clients.

• Connected Through Cooking

  This monthly cooking group provides the bereaved and caregivers with an opportunity to

  learn cooking skills and connect with other clients who may be going through a similar

  experience. Due to the popularity of this program and space constraints, participants are

  limited to taking the group 4 times per year. This group takes place in-person, at our Bistro.

  Monthly group, monthly registration is required. Open to bereaved and caregiver clients.

  • Meditation

  Join us for a relaxing hour of guided meditation led by one of our experienced volunteers.

  No previous meditation experience is required, only an open mind and willingness to try.

  Weekly group. This group is open to everyone, clients, caregivers, residents, and

  volunteers.

Therapies, Services and Programs

St. Joseph’s Hospice is pleased to offer you the following at no cost to you. To learn more or to book an appointment, please call (519)931-3474. All therapies are provided in private rooms. The duration of each session varies according to each individual’s needs and health status.

• Yoga with Mary Foran

  Calm & nourish your entire being in these 60min yoga sessions that give you the time,

  space and tools to replenish deep self-care. Mary Foran will take you through a flow of

  floor based, prop-supported; yoga postures and mindful movements with; breathing

  practices and meditations that can be modified to support individual needs &

  comfort. Mary has specialized in Restorative Yoga for 20 years and can support all

  bodies at any age. No previous experience required. Questions:

  info@functionalyoga.ca

  **BRING** 1 Blanket & 1 Yoga Mat (Yoga Blocks & Straps Provided)

  **DRESS** in Stretchable Comfortable Clothes

  **ARRIVE** 5-10mins early to set up your mat

• Massage Therapy

  Massage therapy is intended to alleviate stress, muscle tension and pain and provide the

  recipient with a sense of relaxation. After a brief consultation with the therapist, a relaxation

  massage will be performed on your entire body, or a therapeutic treatment will focus on

  specific areas. You may choose to remain fully clothed and sit in a chair or lie on a massage

  table in a private therapy room. The therapist will adjust how they carry out a massage to

  best meet the needs of each individual.

• Reflexology or Pedicure

  Reflexology is a healing art based on the principle that there are reflexes in the feet and

  hands which correspond to every part of the body. Through the practitioner’s application of

  massage and pressure on these reflex points you may experience reduced stress and

  tension.

• Manicures

  Pamper yourself and make an appointment with our professional volunteer for a manicure

  in our Wellness Salon.

  These appointments are meant for cosmetic purposes only.

• Reiki

  Reiki helps to restore the body’s natural energy flow and provides an overall sense of calm

  and relaxation. Reiki is not massage; there is no manipulation of the skin or tissue. The

  practitioner places their hands directly on or above your fully dressed body in a specific

  manner and sequence and through adjustments of the hand’s positions, brings balance and

  harmony to your body, mind, and spirit. Reiki helps one to relax and consequently, stress

  and anxiety is often alleviated. You may also experience a reduced level of physical

  discomfort.

• Healing Touch

  Healing touch is a compassionate, holistic energy therapy in which a certified practitioner

  uses their hands in a heart-centered and intentional way to support physical, emotional,

  mental and spiritual health and self- healing in another person. You are fully clothed and

  may sit or lie down to receive this therapy. Healing touch facilitates a deep sense of calm

  and relaxation which makes it ideal for those who are terminally ill or for those who are

  grieving and bereaved.

Spiritual Care

It can be difficult to sort through your thoughts and feelings around life and death. We want patients and loved ones to have the best experience possible, despite the presence of a life-changing illness. Many people find it helpful to talk through things with a nonjudgemental, confidential and compassionate spiritual care professional or volunteer. This isn’t about a particular faith or religion; it’s about quality companionship that provides a supportive outlet and some guidance on your journey.

We are here for you.