The Castlegar Hospice Society was created in 1985 by 19 founding members. In 1988 the first volunteer training program was established and in 1989 the first grief support group began.

Our volunteer board consists of four executive and up to 8 directors. The Castlegar Hospice Society is a member of the BC Hospice Palliative Care Association and the National Hospice/Palliative Care Society.

Hospice is an attitude – a concept of care – we live until the moment of death. Rather than focus on the dying – we focus on the living. When illness is no longer responsive to treatment aimed at cure, we offer palliative care, which is a treatment aimed at making the recipient as comfortable as possible. Hospice/palliative care provides physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual and practical support to people with a life-threatening illness as well as to their loved ones. Trained volunteers provide understanding and friendship, and they work to bring family members, friends, volunteers, physicians, nurses and other healthcare givers together as a care-giving team so patients can live the remainder of their life in dignity and comfort. Hospice palliative care helps to make a very difficult life passage both manageable and meaningful for people facing death. The focus of the hospice is to neither hasten nor postpone death, but rather to make the last stages of life comfortable and peaceful for patients and their caregivers. Quality of life, family wellness, community involvement and personal dignity are all part of hospice palliative cares compassionate and progressive vision.

The Castlegar Hospice Society is located at 709 10th Street, Room 18 and is open from Monday to Thursday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The phone number is 304-1266