Moog and Friends Hospice marking its 20th anniversary
It has been 20 years since Moog & Friends Hospice House opened its doors, providing comfort and support for the terminally ill.
To mark the occasion, the Penticton & District Hospice Society is inviting the public to a special 20th anniversary celebration on Sunday, June 10, from 2-4 p.m. at the Martin Street Art & Music Gallery. The casual drop-in event at 205 Martin St. will include music and refreshments.
Hospice society chairman Bill Everden says there’s plenty of reason to celebrate as thousands of local families have discovered over the years.
Moog & Friends Hospice opened next to Penticton Regional Hospital on May 19, 1998. Generous donations for the Okanagan’s first stand-alone hospice were made by former NHL goalie Andy Moog, his foundation and the community at large.
It has 12 single-bed rooms, which all look out onto a tranquil garden area on the south side of the single-storey building. Topping its long list of attributes are the staff who keep things as upbeat as possible.
“They’re fantastic. I’ve never heard a single complaint,” said Everden. “They give incredible support and care to people going through the last days of their life and their families. It’s also less of an institutional atmosphere – more like home.”
Everden noted some patients come in for just a few days’ respite, to give their caregiver a break. Others may have some pain issues to be addressed before going back home.
The hospice society dates back to 1981 when palliative care beds were located in part of the hospital itself. Although the facility is operated by Interior Health and located on a portion of PRH property, the hospice society looks after the building and grounds, including the garden’s water features, decorative fencing and outdoor patio furniture.
“The society helps provide patient comforts. We’re currently looking at having a new kitchen put in,” Everden said. “We’re receiving $80,000 for the kitchen project from the Sovereign Order of St. John.”
Another key to hospice success is the large number of volunteers who help patients with services ranging from companionship to music and pet therapy. There’s even a massage program.
Volunteer co-ordinator Linda Brooks said some of the 72 volunteers are also part of a community outreach program for palliative care patients.
“We have volunteers who go into people’s homes to visit for companionship, helping with errands and a real gamut of things. Sometimes they’ll walk people’s dogs or drive them to appointments,” she said.
“It allows people to stay home longer than they might be able to otherwise without that support.”
Brooks noted one of their volunteers has been serving at Hospice for 32 years. Andy Moog’s mother Shirley Moog, who passed away last year, also served as a hospice volunteer.
Hospice has definitely been impacted by the PRH expansion just outside its front door, but the construction noise has not had an appreciable impact on the residents whose rooms are all located on the opposite side of the building.
“We’ve been impacted with parking mainly, but luckily all the rooms face south so the patients aren’t affected that much,” Everden said.
Although the building was designed to allow two more rooms on each side, there are no expansion plans at present.