Rexall Foundation supports hospice grief programming

Local residents experiencing the loss of a loved one will benefit from Community Care Hospice Services thanks to a donation from the Rexall Foundation.

The Foundation recently donated $5,000 to hospice grief support services, on behalf of local Rexall pharmacies. The funding will particularly assist local seniors who are facing the loss of a family member or close friend.

Grief support offered by Community Care Hospice Services is designed to ensure that no one has to grieve alone if they wish not to. Hospice offers grief support through a variety of individual and group programs and is available to all ages.

“One of the realities of aging is that individuals increasingly deal with loss as they get older,” explains Hospice Manager Ryan Alexander.

“Though coping with the death of a spouse at any age is a life-shattering experience, it can be devastating for seniors who have spent lifetimes together. Coupled with loss of friends in their later years, dealing with grief can be more difficult for seniors whose support circles are shrinking. This funding from the Rexall Foundation will certainly help Hospice provide grief support for our clients – many of whom are seniors.”

The Rexall Foundation helps build strong, vibrant communities by supporting numerous charitable organizations that focus on health and wellness for children and seniors. Each year, Hospice assists more than 500 clients with grief support programs. One-third of clients seeking grief support are age 65 or older, and more than 80 per cent of the program’s volunteer grief guides are 65 or older.

“These statistics, and feedback from clients themselves, tell us that we are providing much needed grief support to seniors in our community,” Alexander says. “Additionally, older adults value our grief supports so much that, many circle back at a later date to become volunteer grief guides to help others in our community.”

Community Care Hospice Services is the only provider of grief support programs locally. The grief programs are unfunded and the organization relies on generous support from the community to continue to offer the services free of charge.

Photo: Back row, L to R: Rexall District Manager Bashir Amir, Lindsay Rexall Manager Jim Beanish, District Manager Xiaoxi He. Front row: Ryan Alexander, Hospice Services Manager and Diane Cairns, Vice President of the Community Care Foundation.