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Wednesday June 13, 2001 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER B3 Halton VONoffers bereavement service for thosegrieving loss ofloved ones By Wilma Blokhuis BEAVER FOCUS EDITOR , S ^ , - 2624 Comet Court Mississauga, Ont. L5K 2SI Call Kathy at Providing a bereavement ser vice to clients who have received hospice visitors for their loved ones before they died seems to be a natural pro gression for the Halton VON. The Victorian Order of Nurses, which provides in-home nursing services to individuals being cared for at home, and in addition provides volunteer hos pice visitors, opted last fall to provide bereavement support for clients - and others - who have lost loved ones. "It's basically an expansion of our Hospice Program," explained Ann-Marie Primeau, Bereavement Services Co-ordinator at the Halton VON. "We started providing bereavement follow-up for fam ilies from our Hospice Program," said Primeau, adding the service - so far a monthly drop-in - is open to anybody who has lost a loved one regard less of having been a Hospice client. Monthly drop-ins have been held in Oakville, Milton and Georgetown. (In Burlington, the Burlington Bereavement Council runs drop-ins where Primeau worked before coming to the VON last fall.) The next drop-in will be held June 18 at St. Paul's United Church in Milton from 6:30 to 8 p.m. "We would like to start sup port groups," continues Primeau, "but before we can start, we need to train more vol unteers." She adds the drop-Ins have been "fairly well attended" with small groups of people dropping in for information, support and referrals to other community resources. "It takes a lot of courage for these people to come out," said Primeau. "The first time they come I tell them I'm pleased they came and how courageous of them to come and validate what they're experiencing." Barbara Watt, a volunteer palliative visitor and Oakville's 2000 Volunteer of the Year, agrees those who have lost loved ones can benefit from bereavement support. So sensitive is her visiting that she is "carefully matched up with one family at time and we make our own visiting arrangements. We help the fam ily caring for a person who is ill access community services and supports." Watt visits both the patient and the caregiver. Most recently, she happened to be matched with her friend Barbara Carter, whose husband, David Bruce Carter died of A lzheim er's, Parkinson's and ALS last November at age 65. During the last eight months of his life, he attended the Halton VON's day program for Alzheimer's patients three times a week. During that same time, the couple received regular vis its from Watt, and is now receiv ing some follow-up bereave ment visiting. "He loved it so much, he would sit in the car with his pajamas on," said his wife. "The VON was a real life saver for me. It gave me a little freedom to play a bit of golf, knowing David was safe. A lot of times he didn't want to come home with me." Watt and Primeau said she needed some respite while at the same time "anxious that David was well cared for." She treasures a photograph taken of David at the day pro gram, and a journal that was kept of his activities. "You don't realize how much help is out there until you need help yourself," she said. "And, it allows people to keep the loved one at home as long as possible," said Watt. "Most of us want to keep them at home as long as possible." Each year, VON clients remember their loved ones at a Candlelight Memorial Service at Appleby Chapel. About 350 people attended this year's event held in May. Family members were invited to come to the front o f the chapel, announce the names of loved ones they've lost and place a flower on the memorial tree. A Pascal candle, used during the service, was presented to Appleby in appreciation of the chapel's ongoing support. "It was very moving," con cludes Barbara Carter, who fondly remembered her hus band. "I had tears . . . tears of healing." For more information about the VON bereavement service or to volunteer, call 905-8278800 Ext. 2310. 822-7714 It's ffce £oimt price tm the Best aewice! CHECK IT OUT! We are: ·family owned & operated ·fully insured ·fully flexible Innovative, personalized service a t Kathys Cleaning Is there anything extra you may need help with? Just ask & we will do it 1 Is the old-fashioned cleaning something you are looking for? N O T just the surface cleaning! We provide: ·HOURLY system of service · old fashion, excellent quality work · cleaning supplies |y H 0 U S EC LEA N IN & F E E S ^ Length of appointment 3 Hours 4 Hours 5 Hours 6 Hours Fee charged $ 75.00 $ 92.00 $ 105.00 $ 114.00 , 6 hours & up - 19.00 p/h * Minimum charge $75.00 · G ST EXTRA a Welcome C oupon OFF the FIRST HOUSEClEANINIr* ^ *Applies to NEW arrangements only. Offer valid with this coupon only. Tel. (905) 822-7714 j t Since 1989, Kathy's Cleaning has been serving the needs of cus tomers in Oakville and Mississauga with innovative, per sonalized service. "We cover both Oakville and Mississauga, and we do love working in Oakville," says compa ny owner Kathy Bakowski. "The people are very nice and it is a lovely, cosy town." Her list of customers, which has grown to more than 300, like the fact that they can customize their own cleaning package. "We can do whatever they need," states Bakowski. "If they want laundry done, we will do that. If they want one part of the house done this time, and another next time, we will do that." Along with the flexible sched ule, Kathy's also offers an innova tive pricing policy. They charge by the hour. "We were one of the first, if not the first to give the client the choice to pay by the hour," says Bakowski. And while their pricing method may be new, their cleaning I method is definitely old school. I Her team I of cleaners clean the old fashioned way. "We do everything by hand," says Bakowski. "We do a very thorough job, and our cleaners do it the same way that they clean their own houses." For more information about the services that Kathy's Cleaning provides, call them at 905-822-7714. Host visiting student this summer This summer experience a different culture by hosting a stu dent from Spain, France or Korea. Red Leaf Student Program will be bringing 45 students aged 13 to 18 and their group leaders to Oakville in July and August. While here the students will study English during the week, but will be able to relax and have fun with their host families in the evening and weekends. While teens are always delighted to be placed in homes with similar aged Canadian teenagers, couples without children and families with younger children also make great host families. Remuneration of $135 per week is paid to the family. This is the 13th year that the Red Leaf Student Program - a Toronto based organization - has brought students here from abroad. During their four-week stay, the students enjoy weekly excursions to Canada's Wonderland, Niagara Falls, Toronto and a canoe trip. For further information on becoming a host family this July or August call Veronica Richards-Miller, Oakville co-ordinator, at 905-637-0879. ONTARIO SPA DISTRIBUTORS M A N U F A C T U R E R D I R E C T H E L D O V E R L IS T3 D A Y S Thursday Until 8pm, Friday Until 8pm & Saturday Until 5pm. Closed Sunday. 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