For those who’ve lost loved ones the holiday season may induce even stronger feelings than the rest of the year.
The Cochrane and Area Hospice Society offers an opportunity to connect with others in the community who are experiencing similar grief.
As a way to help, the CAHS facilitates regular walks in Cochrane with others offering peer support.
“It’s tough when someone has passed so it offers them a way to celebrate them in a positive way,” CAHS Chair Ozzie Sawicki said.
They meet at the SLS Centre on Tuesday mornings, walking from 10 to 11 on the track, followed by coffee downstairs until noon.
The group walk and coffee enables discussions and socialization/support for individuals experiencing grief.
Sawicki said the society was formed in 2017.
“Our long-term goal is to get some hospice beds in Cochrane, but in the meantime our goal is to create education, advocacy and support to the community,” he said.
Last year they sponsored regular group walks in Bragg Creek as well, and are working towards hopefully doing more of those this spring. Sawicki advised interested people to check the society’s web page for updates and confirmation of any upcoming walks there.
They are currently in the midst of upgrading their website.
He said the Cochrane group is usually around 15 people, who will go outside when the weather permits.
“They have coffee afterwards – it’s become a very close group of people,” he said.
The Remembrance Tree is also a popular event, which took place Dec. 3.
The two trees are just behind the museum at the Historic Ranch on Highway 1A. Participants replace one of the white lights with a coloured one in remembrance of their lost loved one. They leave the lights on until the end of December so other family members or friends can visit to pay their respects, or just for a quiet moment.
The society also gets involved in a nationwide hike in May.
“We’re in a society where talking about death is not something a lot of people are comfortable with, and the end of life is an important a part of the journey,” he said. “And we think it’s important to be able to talk about that.”
The society works closely with the Helping Hands Society of Cochrane and Area and Alberta Health Services through their palliative education programs, so that volunteer interest has an avenue of involvement that these organizations can coordinate. Helping Hands is for basic support (getting groceries, driving people to a visit, etc.) while AHS can provide the palliative training for more direct volunteer involvement with families experiencing an end of life journey.
The SLS Centre is at 800 Griffin Rd. E.
For more information go to cochranehospicesociety.ca.
