On Sunday, May 1st, the Valley Hospice Foundation will hold its 10th annual Hike for Valley Hospice & Palliative Care. This year the Hike for Hospice marks a decade of our community coming together to raise funds and celebrate the compassionate care and support that hospice and palliative care provides to individuals and their families at the end of life in the Annapolis Valley.
My name is Terri Milton. I’m the Librarian at NSCC Kingstec Campus and a Board member of the Valley Hospice Foundation (VHF). My personal experience of hospice dates back to 2008. After two years battling malignant meningioma, my mother, Colleen (Kelly) (Hall) Bouchot, lived her final days in the Langley Hospice Residence operated by Fraser Health in BC. While tinged with profound sadness that Mom was leaving us too soon, my family’s experience with hospice palliative care was incredibly positive.
Mom was given excellent personal care in a comfortable private space, while surrounded by the things that gave her pleasure: visits with her family, views of nature, personal mementos, books, music, and food. The hospice had a family lounge with a kitchenette, a television, some board games, and a grief & bereavement bookshelf.
Today, as a VHF Board member and especially as a Librarian, I would like to bring you a collection of books that may help you with the process of saying goodbye to a loved one. Both the Annapolis Valley Regional Library (Same Page) and the NSCC Kingstec Library offer numerous books about grief, bereavement, and loss. Click the links below to view the lists.
AVRL (Same Page):
Did you know that community members can borrow print books from NSCC Kingstec and all the other Novanet Libraries (using your AVRL or Same Page library card)? To register, complete the Novanet Community Borrower Registration Form and we’ll be in touch to confirm the details. We offer in-library service and curbside pickup at the NSCC Kingstec Campus.
I look forward to celebrating Mom, Hike #10, the Valley Hospice and palliative care at the 2022 Hike for Valley Hospice and Palliative Care I look forward to meeting you as a library borrower, too.
~Terri Milton, VHF Board Member and Campus Librarian, NSCC Kingstec
