Dignity in Life and Death

Life is an individual and personal journey, shaped by our experiences and the many people we touch, influence and interact with along the way. Death and dying are the final stage of this journey, and touches each and every one of us in different and personal ways. Like life, death does not happen in isolation.

As a society and as individuals, we are not well prepared for dying or grieving. In a high-tech, wellness-focused world, sustaining quality of life through the stages of a terminal illness is a challenge for our health care system, our communities and our families.

As parents, how do we help our vulnerable children to understand why their brother, sister, mother or father has been taken away from them?

As sons and daughters, how do we give our dying parents the dignity and peace they deserve at the end stage of life?

As husband and wives, where do we find the strength to shoulder the often overwhelming responsibilities of caring for a dying partner, continuing to provide the basics of life while dealing with parent/child issues - in essence, "keeping it all together?"

As a survivor, where do we find someone who understands our grief and loneliness, no matter how long it takes us to get back on our feet?

As a community of people, how do we help each other to accept and prepare for the reality of death and ensure that terminally ill persons are able to die with dignity?

Finally, if we ourselves have been diagnosed with a terminal illness, where do we turn to find someone who truly understands what we are experiencing - our physical pain, our emotional distress - and share our fears?

Most of us will face these questions at some time during our lives. In emotionally charged and uncertain times, it can be difficult to find the kind of help we want.

Hospice Calgary can help

Hospice care reminds us that death is a natural process, helping individuals to accept death without denying them hope. It empowers us, our spouses, our children, our families, and our communities, to help and support each other as we let go of life.

Hospice care helps us, our families and our communities deal with death. It is practical, compassionate, spiritual, human, and economically sensible.

Hospice care is an internationally recognized, complementary and alternative choice to health care systems around the world.

Hospice care is communities and people caring for each other.