We are fortunate to live in a part of the world where there is still a strong tradition of neighbours looking out for each other. One example of that tradition began in early 2012, when members of Almonte Community Coordinators (The Hub) recognized that a home-based palliative care support service was lacking in the Almonte area. By October 2012, a steering committee had raised over $100,000 and, shortly thereafter, a Registered Nurse had been hired to initiate the development of the program. The new organization, separately incorporated in March 2013, was named Hub Hospice Palliative Care.

Over time the area served has expanded to include clients within North Lanark, including Almonte, Carleton Place, Appleton, Clayton, Beckwith, Blakeney, Pakenham, and surrounding areas. Furthermore, “home” now truly encompasses wherever the client lives. This can, and does, include long-term care homes, retirement residences and hospitals as needs and resources allow.

To reflect the growth of the organization and the expansion of services a new name was selected in the fall of 2019: Home Hospice North Lanark (HHNL). Our services include:

• Visiting Volunteers—well-trained volunteers visit with clients, under the direction of our Program Coordinators who are trained as an RN and RPN
• Caregiver support (loved one does not need to be registered in our program)
• Assistance with navigating the health care system
• Bereavement Support
• Advance Care Planning

The organization, which continues to be governed by a 12-person board of directors, now under the direction of Chair Jan Watson, is committed to carrying out their mission to support those with an advanced, progressive illness, and their caregivers. We have expanded our Public Education programs and access to appropriate resources through our satellite offices, curated collections at public libraries, and additional resources listed online. Our commitment to offering support to those experiencing grief and bereavement remains a top priority.