The Airdrie and District Hospice Society (ADHS) has made a change to one of their programs.  

The Adult Grief Program has been made longer. Instead of the original 6 weeks, it has been extended to 8 weeks. The ADHS has been offering adult grief programming since 2014 but to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program is now offered online through Zoom. Lise Blanchette, Executive Director for Airdrie and District Hospice Society, says the program is an important part of the mourning experience. 

“With this 8-week Zoom program, participants still get to see each other, support each other, and reach out in other ways. It's a way to remind them that they’re not alone and a lot of people keep in touch with each other after the program has finished. For us in the midst of a COVID paradox, mourners will often crave solidarity but are also looking for company. ” 

Switching to online programming isn’t the only change COVID has brought to the ADHS. According to Blanchette, they don’t have the Personal Protective Equipment to go into people’s homes right now so they can’t offer as many programs as usual.  

Blanchette says the Grief Program is important all-year-round, not just during the post-holiday time of year, and that the Hospice aims to help make grief feel less overwhelming. 

“There’s a saying out there that says grief is like an ocean. It comes in waves. At first, the waves are enormous, but as time goes on, you accept and acknowledge the grief. You know you’re grieving and that’s part of what we work on in the workshop. You’re not eating, you’re not sleeping, you do this and that. Those are things we help people to understand so that they can learn how to swim with the waves. The grief won't be as hard on them if they know what’s going on.” 

To apply for a Greif Program, fill out a form at airdriehospice.ca or call the mainline at 403-880-0424. 

The Airdrie and District Hospice Society has a number of different programs such as Palliative Care Companion, Cooking for One After A Loss, Compassionate Care Fund, Children's and Teen Grief Program, and Adult Greif Program. They also offer phone support as well as errand running for families who are going through life-limiting illnesses.