Live~Love~Laugh

I do not often cross post. This time I will! Great things are going on in Muskoka.

With great delight I attended a day-long session for hospice volunteers Live~Love~Laugh - a workshop for hard-working volunteers.... I am taking the Foundations of Palliative Care course and this is the training all of these volunteers fo through. It is am amazing course. We know so much about managing death and the dying process. The day was such a positive experience for all the volunteers who attended. It is primarily women, who tend to be the caregivers, but there are a few male volunteers.

Many volunteered to set up tables, and create beautiful displays of, for example, the door prizes.

The keynote speaker in the morning was Jane Galbraith-author of Baby Boomers Face Grief. Jane is a nurse and a medical consultant, who is giving workshops on managing grief in middle age. While she no longer does bedside nursing, Jane does medical legal expert nursing opinion consulting, and also sits on the CPP Disability Tribunals as a medical member.

Many of us are not familiar with the grieving process. I have found, in my research, that in this the sandwich generation, it is tough managing careers and caring for ailing parents. Once they pass over, our work begins. And work it is. Her book is a good read for those of us who face bereavement at this stage of life. It is a process that has a terrible impact even if it is a 'good' death, or an anticipated one. My father, we knew, was palliative but this does not make it easier. In the case of a sudden death of a parent, we are suddenly orphans in a strange way it is a passage for which we are not prepared.

It was so much fun, since I was able to trade books with the other authors who were there! Muskoka is full of authors and workshops faciliatators.

In addition to Jane, Elke Scholtz was there to lead a workshop on Loving Your Life. She does creative workshops on this topic and is working on her Master's using expressive arts. We know that such therapy does wonders for all of us at all ages. I eagerly look forward to reading her book!

I cannot thank the volunteers enough for preparing us a delicious soup and sandwich lunch. The decorations were beautiful on all the tables. I truly felt welcomed and appreciated. The conversations I had with participants, as well as presenters, helped me see the caring, loving individuals with which we are blessed in this community.

One of the fun things was performance by the Bracebridge U.C. Bellringers. I caught a photo of the press getting photos! How wonderful to be honoured with their delightful music.