Conversations about death, dying, grief and loss are overwhelming – but the Saint Elizabeth Foundation was pleased to offer a community-based grief support to hospices across the country in recognition and celebration of National Palliative Care Week this past May.
The Reflection Room® project is an evidence-based, participatory art installation that supports people in talking about tough issues that arise in hospice care by providing an immersive space for users to read stories written by others and contribute their own reflections. The Foundation is proud to be able to gift hospices throughout Canada with kits that include all the items needed to set up a Reflection Room that can be used by staff, volunteers, patients, their families, caregivers and more.
“It’s a wonderful feeling for us to be able to offer this gift to hospices, allowing them to provide those they serve with a quiet space to rest, reflect, disclose emotions, and feel connected to others through sharing stories,” said Nancy Lefebre, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at SE Health. “National Palliative Care Week is all about celebrating the amazing care that hospice palliative care teams provide and we hope this tool will be crucial in emotional well-being across communities.”
Research conducted by the SE Research Centre and collaborating organizations has found that participation in these rooms increases people’s comfort in talking about and planning for dying and death and supported grief work by providing a space where people can look inward, experience calm and peace, express emotions, and develop a sense of connection and compassion for others.
“Thank you so much for this generous donation. We are looking forward to setting it up for use by those at St. Raphael.” – St. Raphael Palliative Care Home and Day Centre in Montreal
“We’ve received our kit and are very excited to set up the space. We feel that the Reflection Room is very much in alignment with our objectives in palliative care and are so appreciative of this gift.” – Stedman Community Hospice, Brantford, ON
For more information, please visit thereflectionroom.ca or email [email protected]
