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Elaine Stanworth works at the Valley Hospice in Kentville, Nova Scotia and says, “It’s the most rewarding job I’ve ever had.”
She’s a registered nurse who provides patient care at the Hospice, which was established through a collaboration between the Valley Hospice Foundation and Nova Scotia Health in 2020. It’s a stand-alone, home-like healthcare facility for people needing care at the end of life, located on the grounds of the Valley Regional Hospital.
Stanworth earned her national certification in hospice palliative care in 2015 after working with the VON for 14 years where she did a lot of palliative care in the home setting.
The nursing veteran, who will have 40 years of nursing to her credit next year, says she waited a long time for the hospice to open and feels fortunate to be a part of the initial group of employees that started when the doors first opened four years ago.
“There is so much we can do to ease suffering and provide comfort not just for our patients, but for the families and other loved ones,” says Stanworth. “It's simply incredibly gratifying to be able to do that for people.”
The hospice features 10 private rooms, each with their own washroom. The space is designed for family members to be able to be with their loved one, even overnight. Each private room and the family room have patio doors to a terrace overlooking a peaceful wooded area.
Stanworth says it’s such a lovely place to work.
“We allow people to wake up when they wake up naturally, rather than putting them on a schedule like is often done in an acute care setting. We provide all the basic care and personal care that they would need at any point during the day.”
Her favorite part of the day is providing personal care, which she calls being “fluffed and puffed.”
“I absolutely love getting someone all washed up and dressed and making them feel good about the things that they can no longer do for themselves and just making them feel really comfortable. If they have always taken pride in their appearance, we want to be able to help them do that at the end as well, and to me, that is one of the most gratifying things.”
The average length of stay is about three weeks. Stanworth says some folks stay for a very short period of time, while others are there for an extended period and they get to know them pretty well. The emotional load of this work means self-care for staff is an important part of the job.
“When you're working in that type of environment” Stanworth explains “we must always remember we are not part of the patient’s family.”
Stanworth says a counselor once wisely advised “we're not to go on the dance floor. We can stand around the edges and cheer people on, but we are not to dance with them.”
She adds that doesn't mean they don't create really nice bonds. “There are often tears at the end, and we wouldn't be human otherwise, but there are lots of moments of joy as well.”
Valley Hospice is one of three such facilities in Nova Scotia.
Learn more here:
Learn more here:
Valley Hospice | Nova Scotia Health
Valley Hospice Foundation
Photo of Elaine Stanworth, Valley Hospice Nurse