Olds & District Hospice Society

A dedicated community collective in the Mountain View County area, we are committed to supporting Hospice Palliative Care services. Our mission involves offering hospice, bereavement, and NavCARE assistance to individuals and families facing palliative and/or chronic illness, as well as providing support during times of loss and grief. To accomplish this, we rely on a compassionate team of trained volunteers who lend their expertise and care to those in need.

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Our
Mission

To provide quality, compassionate care in a home like setting for those facing death by offering physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual and educational support to individuals, their families and community at the end of life and during bereavement.

About Us

In the fall of 2007, five community members met to have a conversation about hospice palliative care services for Olds and area. They came from various backgrounds and experiences, but each had experienced end of life journeys with someone they cared about.They came from various backgrounds but each with end of life knowledge and understanding with someone they cared about. Some of those experiences were amazing and some of them were brutal. They decided to begin investigating possible avenues to improve hospice palliative care in our area. These individuals decided to begin investigating possible avenues to improve hospice palliative care in our area.

Meet Our Staff

Mary Smith
Executive Director

Mary Smith joined the society in 2019 as the Society’s first ever Executive Director. Mary has lived in the Olds community for over 20 years with her family; husband Todd and children; Faith, Neo, Christian, Ryder and dog Kaida.
She was drawn to hospice work after being involved in several end-of-life journeys with close family members and experiencing how valuable hospice support truly is.

Cindy Palin
Services Coordinator

Cindy Palin joined the society in October, 2022. Cindy has a love of music and words which started at a young age. Cindy is a wife and mother, as well as a professional musician, songwriter and author – faith inspired.

Cindy’s faith, compassion and empathy support our clients & volunteers as they are touched with chronic and terminal illness.

Charlene Wilson
Administrative Assistant

Charlene Wilson joined the Society in June, 2022. Charlene lives in Olds with her husband Frank and daughter Kaitlynne.

Charlene utilizes her talents and gifts in administration to assist the society stay organized and support our clients and volunteers.

Jonathan Smith
Nu2u Supervisor

Jonathan Smith joined the society as of January, 2023.

Jonathan is experienced in volunteer management, team building, public speaking, and coaching. He is committed to facilitating safety, efficiency, respect and Fun for Nu2U Thrift Store and looks forward to the exciting and challenging opportunities ahead.

Our Services & Programs

One on One Bereavement Support

Mondays 1pm – 4pm, in which you can book single sessions with a trained bereavement facilitator

Bereavement Support Groups

Spring and fall. These sessions are facilitated by trained Bereavement facilitators and are eight weeks in length. Before each group there will be an opportunity to meet with facilitators and learn more about the program. For more information on the groups and support please feel free to contact Cindy Palin, Services Coordinator @ 403-586-9992

Grief Walks

Spring and fall. Grief walks are an eight-week series of gentle walks that brings together people moving through the shared experience of loss with the intent that they will find support from each other, their community and their time in nature. All walks are between 1.5 to 2km round trip on relatively flat, pathways in and around the Olds/Didsbury area.

Hospice Suites

Our Hospice Suites are available for families facing an end of life journey. The Hospice Suites offer a cozy environment for our clients and families in need. The hospice suites provide place for families to share in the client’s final journey with the support of our hospice volunteers if needed, all of which is offered at no charge to the individual or family.

A Way Forward (Day Hospice)

Our organization strives to uplift and empower individuals by offering encouragement and support. We foster meaningful social connections and provide opportunities for personal growth through a range of activities. Moreover, we enhance access to diverse community resources, ensuring individuals can tap into the assistance they need. In a warm and welcoming environment, we also provide nourishing meals that evoke a sense of home. Recognizing the importance of caregivers' well-being, we offer respite services to provide them with a much-needed break.

Nav-Care Program

Nav-CARE ‘s specially trained volunteer navigators help improve the lives of people living with chronic/terminal illness by creating connections to community services and resources and providing caring, compassionate emotional and social support. Linda’s story started out by accessing NavCARE support for her mom, and transitioned into Hospice support.

A Family’s Video