Hospice Huronia
948 Fuller Ave L9M 1G7 Penetanguishene, ON, Canada

We're so grateful to people like Rick and Mary who think of us when shopping and surprise us with gifts for our residents and families. #thoughtful #comfort #grateful

Hospice Huronia has two new virtual support groups starting in May. Our suicide loss support group will be running on Tuesday evenings at 6pm, and our overdose loss support group will be on Wednesdays at 6pm. Both groups require registration, and will be hosted via Zoom. If you are looking for a safe space to connect with others who have experienced this type of loss, contact our social worker today. We are here for you.

Last call for registration! Contact us today to sign up for this Friday's virtual presentation on Advance Care Planning. Learn about the importance of identifying your substitute decision makers and making sure your final wishes are known and understood by those who may need to speak on your behalf.

We lost a Hospice Huronia pioneer this past week. Sheila has been one of our steadfast champions and we were so honoured to care for her at Tomkins House; a place she helped become a reality. Please join us in sending her family our deepest condolences.

Did you know today is National Siblings Day? This day was created by Claudia Evart of the Siblings Day Foundation to honour the loss of both of her siblings. While many use this day to celebrate and send love to their siblings, we are also mindful that this day can be hard for those of you who may have lost a sibling. We are thinking of you today. If it helps, we would love to hear your favourite memory of them in a comment!

I will be Hiking for Hospice Huronia! While we can't gather to Hike, I promise to take 20 minutes each day during the month of May to walk and remember the 85+ first families of Tomkins House. Please join me or make your donation today! http://ow.ly/638o50EluiM

As we turn to those we love today and express our feelings, please take a moment to remember those who have loved and lost xoxo

Mundy's Bay Honey is being delivered to Tomkins House each month. Thank you Jim and Lorrie. Our residents will certainly enjoy this sweet local treat! #firstchurch #mundysbayhoney

Members of First Presbyterian Church have been busy cooking for Hospice again. Masked volunteers, Mary and Karen, delivered soups, meals and tasty treats and filled our freezers. Thank you! #firstchurchpenetang #penetanguishene

Our Hospice family was saddened to hear of a wonderful volunteer who died this week. "Pauline King, previous recipient of the June Callwood Award, passed away Feb 9/21 after a very short stay at GBGH. Her one regret was that she was unable to partake of the wonderful hospitality of local hospices due to the suddenness of her diagnosis/death. She was a firm supporter of Hospice Huronia and a previous loyal volunteer. She is survived by her two sons, Neil and Warren, and her ...husband, Gord King" Imagine the number of people that Pauline provided support to in her 15+ years as a Hospice Volunteer. For those who knew her; we are so sorry for your loss. From those of us who never had the pleasure of meeting her; thank you Pauline, for paving the way. See more

Thanks to the Ontario Trillium Foundation we were able to bring this special lady back to Hospice! Welcome back JoAnn, we need you! This grant will support Hospice as we streamline our administration and recover from the impacts of COVID. #Resilience #OTF Jill Dunlop

One more week to go! Spots are filling up. Please reach out to our social worker Kate to register today for the upcoming Art Therapy for Grief virtual group starting on January 14th. 705-549-1034.

Caring for a loved one can sometimes make it difficult to attend registered support groups. In response to this, Hospice Huronia will be starting a Facebook group next week for caregivers where you can connect with others at a time that works for you. Contact us for more information on how to join.

An incredible opportunity for the right person! Join Team Tomkins as we grow our Bereavement & Support programs throughout North Simcoe thanks to the Ontario Trillium Fdnt. Please forward your resume to [email protected] before March 1, 2021. https://www.hospicehuronia.ca//1613150616_OTF%20Seed%20Ber

Grief is grief. People that have lost a pet tend to grieve in silence. People often minimize the death of a pet, even some saying "why don't you get another pet!" When a beloved pet dies, you grieve your walking companion, the unconditional love they gave you, the loss of a "life witness" who has been part of your life's ups and down's, birth and deaths and your daily routine. If you find you are having a hard time coping with the loss of your pet, please don't hesitate to contact us.

We often hear how hard it is for someone grieving to hear "Merry Christmas!" from their loved ones. If you're looking for new ways to express holiday greetings, read this article for some helpful ideas. http://ow.ly/RWvK50CShyx

"There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition, and of unspeakable love." Washington Irving

A wonderful reflection from Dr. Wolfelt's book "One Mindful Day at a Time: 365 Meditations on Living in the Now." This book is helpful for anyone wanting to slow down and includes practical guidance and wisdom from one of the world's leading grief experts.

We are so proud of our Hospice Volunteers who know how to safely support our families while providing a home away from home environment

Today is National Bereavement Day in Canada. Did you know that Hospice Huronia can help. We offer individual & group sessions to help you through the darkest days. Call Kate at 705-549-1034 or email [email protected]

How do you know when Hospice is an option? Listen to what Tomkins House Families have to say... "Hospice Huronia Tomkins House provided my Mom, Trudy, with amazing care, kindness, compassion and dignity in her last days. Best of all they got her pain under control which had been a major battle up to that point, all in a lovely and homey setting. It can be hard to know when it’s the right time to bring a loved one to Hospice; in our case we wanted to get Mom there sooner ...but were hindered by the healthcare system that didn’t know her or what Hospice is all about. My advice would be to trust your instincts. You know your loved one better than anyone and will know when the time is near; not eating, not getting out of bed or sleeping all the time, pain that isn’t being controlled. Advocate for your loved one and talk to the staff at Hospice who can give you the right information and guide you along the way. They helped us immensely and we will be forever grateful." Willma B. daughter of a Tomkins House Patient Still not sure? Call 705-549-1034

Christmas will look different this year as we stay home to keep ourselves safe. There are still many ways to be together, even if you will be alone. This article from What's Your Grief has some wonderful suggestions for virtual holiday celebrations.

This lyric from a classic Christmas song rings especially true this year. We will get through this together, somehow

Looking for tips on how to cope with grief during the holiday season? What's Your Grief has a helpful list of ideas to consider. Remember - it is okay to be sad, it is okay to say no, and it is also okay to feel joy and happiness. http://ow.ly/HQvL50CL6PA

Today we pause to remember. Please join us as we pay our respects to those who have paved the path to freedom. We are grateful and we will always remember.

Cheers to Marie-France on her birthday! So glad to have her back at Tomkins House working with volunteers. Did you know we have many ongoing bereavement groups available? Call Marie-France for more info at 705-549-1034

We are so lucky to have extra hands help with our Christmas mailing! Carly Thiffault, one of our amazing Nurses as Tomkins House is teaching her children the value of volunteering. We are so happy to have their help!

Just mentioning the name of the one who died can be such a meaningful gift to the ones left behind.

A lot of people were eating Christmas turkey from Rawson's Meat & Deli and helping to support Hospice Huronia's Tomkins House. Thank you!

We want to hear from YOU! Hospice Huronia is working on a winter education series and our team wants to know... what topics would you like to see us cover? Is there something you want to learn more about? Let us know in the comments! We would love to hear your thoughts.

I'm blessed to have a few days off this holiday seasons as Team Tomkins is taking care of the home this week. As the Executive Director I am able to see for myself the magic that happens at Hospice. As a donor, I'm proud to see my financial support being put to good use in caring for our community and in awe of our team who are simply amazing. I wish I could put it in a bottle and share it with you! Since I can't, I need you to imagine... We have a fellow making Tomkins Hou...se his home. He has been with us for a while and today Team Tomkins got him into a wheelchair. They masked him up and took him for a tour of the house. They showed him Dr. Kettle's handmade sailboat (he loves boats) which was a beautiful gift from Mrs. Kettle to Hospice. They posed in front of the Christmas Tree for photos and they took him outside for the first time since he joined us to see the snow covered forest. AND, yes, they had a SNOWBALL FIGHT! Can you imagine the delight in his eyes? Can you imagine the team's joy? I wish I could show you the photos but of course we need to respect his privacy. This is Hospice folks! We are about LIVING. Living each moment we have and finding joy in the simple things. People always ask "How can you do this work". Well, where else are you surrounded by such love and gratitude. We are so fortunate to be a part of Tomkins House and today, as we say good-bye to this very challenging year, we want to celebrate the blessing we have. We want to thank everyone who has made a donation, brought us food, volunteered your time, shared our posts and sent us your good wishes. To those who have shared their loved one with us, thank you. Each of you have left a mark in our lives and we are grateful and we are thinking of you. Be well, stay safe and we look forward to more joy in 2021. Debbie PS. Any ideas how I'm going to explain to this family that my team threw snowballs at their loved one?? LOL!

Wishing our Tomkins House Teammate Cori Johnson a very Happy Birthday!!

Grief during the holidays can be difficult, and the New Year is no exception. People often underestimate how difficult this day can be for someone who has experienced loss. For some, it's a reminder of another year without their loved one. We see you, and we are here for you.

So Grateful! Stay safe

Phones are back online at Hospice! 705-549-1034 is our direct line. Sorry for any inconvenience.

NEGATIVE! Team Tomkins House have been tested and we are NEGATIVE! Your good wishes are very much appreciated and we know you will continue to keep our recovering teammate in your thoughts. Wear your mask!!... Be Safe! See more

There is NO telephone landline service available at Hospice Huronia - Tomkins House this evening. If you need to reach Hospice urgently - please call Debbie Kesheshian, Executive Director at 249-535-1501. Thank you and sorry for any inconvenience.

With our first snow of the year here at Tomkins House, we are starting to think forward to the holiday season. Join us on November 25th for a webinar on how to cope with grief during the holidays by learning strategies, rituals and activities to honour your loved one.

Welcome back Marie-France! It's been a long COVID break but thanks to the Ontario Trillium Foundation we will have this wonderful lady working together with our volunteers to help families experiencing grief.. Watch this space for upcoming group and individual sessionss.