Annual Report

2023 / 24

Message from the Board Chair & CEO

Victoria Hospice donors and supporters like you played a key role in our circle of care this year.

Your gifts supported our caring and comfortable environment on the Inpatient Unit. Your generosity enabled swift support from our Palliative Response Team at home. And because of you, people of all ages who are grieving received specialized care to help them live with loss and bereavement.

We have closed the fiscal year in a strong position, with well-honed clinical and administrative operations ready for another year of compassionate care. We bolstered our teams, systems, and processes, and we continued our search for a modern campus of care to serve patients and families long into the future.

There has been a tremendous amount of change in healthcare in recent years, from system change to staffing, and Victoria Hospice is no exception. As elsewhere in our sector, we have seen some shifts since the pandemic. Nurses, health care attendants, counsellors – all clinical care roles are in demand.

The people who chose to work in end-of-life care and bereavement support show a remarkable level of dedication and compassion, and we are proud to report that we redoubled efforts to support them this year. We focused on building culture and human resources, which are vital to the kinds of care we provide. Your donations enabled us to invest in the education, practice support and tools our teams need to do the work they do best.

Your support for skilled and compassionate end-of-life care ensures people don’t have to walk alone through death, grief, and loss. We could not do this without you.

Thank you for all your support.

Trudi Brown
Chair, Board of Directors

Teri Henderson
Chief Executive Officer

Your Impact

Inpatient Unit

Care on the Inpatient Unit focuses on quality of life through holistic, comfort-oriented care, supporting people’s physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs.

When Joan and Donna arrived at hospice, neither was expecting to find a best friend. But they did. They shared a room and all the ups and downs of day-to-day life. Joan taught Donna to knit. And Donna taught Joan all about the Blue Jays. Donna said, “She’s like a mother to me.” Joan said, “She’s a friend for life.”

Their friendship touched the hearts of everyone at Victoria Hospice. Read more about Joan and Donna.

Inpatient Unit

Care on the Inpatient Unit focuses on quality of life through holistic, comfort-oriented care, supporting people’s physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs.

When Joan and Donna arrived at hospice, neither was expecting to find a best friend. But they did. They shared a room and all the ups and downs of day-to-day life. Joan taught Donna to knit. And Donna taught Joan all about the Blue Jays. Donna said, “She’s like a mother to me.” Joan said, “She’s a friend for life.”

Their friendship touched the hearts of everyone at Victoria Hospice. Read more about Joan and Donna.

People admitted

Average age

days

Length of stay for most people
Honouring people who are dying is what hospice care is all about. At Victoria Hospice, we also honour people after they have died.
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Read about Music Therapy on the Inpatient Unit and how it validates patients’ feelings.
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Volunteer Services

It takes a special person with strong skills and abilities to become a hospice volunteer, and we’re lucky to have such a dedicated team.

To provide direct support for patients and families, volunteers undertake 30 hours of training from members of the care team and six hours of online learning. Communication skills, empathetic listening, and responding to people grief are key elements of the training.

“They bring a tremendous amount of heart and compassion to the role,” Volunteer Services Program Assistant Julia Dawson says. “The life experiences and depth of kindness among the volunteers are just amazing.”

Volunteer Services

It takes a special person with strong skills and abilities to become a hospice volunteer, and we’re lucky to have such a dedicated team.

To provide direct support for patients and families, volunteers undertake 30 hours of training from members of the care team and six hours of online learning. Communication skills, empathetic listening, and responding to people grief are key elements of the training.

“They bring a tremendous amount of heart and compassion to the role,” Volunteer Services Program Assistant Julia Dawson says. “The life experiences and depth of kindness among the volunteers are just amazing.”

Total volunteer hours
Read about a close-knit group who raise funds in honour of a beloved friend and husband.
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A devoted volunteer honours her sister-in-law and best friend by making beautiful quilts.
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Read about a longtime volunteer who was known for her gifts of time and roses.
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Palliative
Response Team

The Palliative Response Team helps people remain at home as safely and comfortably as possible.

“Our RNs assess a complex array of symptoms, consult with palliative care physicians, and can often immediately address the symptom crisis. When a care provider can give care that makes a difference to the quality of people’s lives, there is an immediate sense of satisfaction, of having made a difference – and the work is meaningful. This is the kind of experience that keeps people working in palliative care.”

-Nancy Payeur, PRT Counsellor

Palliative Response Team

The Palliative Response Team helps people remain at home as safely and comfortably as possible.

“Our RNs assess a complex array of symptoms, consult with palliative care physicians, and can often immediately address the symptom crisis. When a care provider can give care that makes a difference to the quality of people’s lives, there is an immediate sense of satisfaction, of having made a difference – and the work is meaningful. This is the kind of experience that keeps people working in palliative care.”

-Nancy Payeur, PRT Counsellor

In-person visits

After hours phone calls supporting acute issues

People visited
Regular visits and support allowed a beloved husband to remain at home as long as possible.
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Read about a Palliative Response Team counsellor’s experience and the people who have touched her life.
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Bereavement Services

The death of someone important to you may feel overwhelming and impact many aspects of your life. Support is available to help you understand grief and adjust to loss.

Counsellor and group facilitator Heidi Wigmore says, “People in bereavement often wonder, ‘Can anyone hold space for what I feel right now? Are there people comfortable enough to be around my grief, my tears and anger, guilt, and confusion? Does anyone feel the way I do?’

“Isolation and loneliness are a challenge in these postmodern times, and grief can make that feeling even heavier. Social connection – especially in bereavement – is essential.”

Bereavement Services

The death of someone important to you may feel overwhelming and impact many aspects of your life. Support is available to help you understand grief and adjust to loss.

Counsellor and group facilitator Heidi Wigmore says, “People in bereavement often wonder, ‘Can anyone hold space for what I feel right now? Are there people comfortable enough to be around my grief, my tears and anger, guilt, and confusion? Does anyone feel the way I do?’

“Isolation and loneliness are a challenge in these postmodern times, and grief can make that feeling even heavier. Social connection – especially in bereavement – is essential.”

Individual (adult) counselling sessions

Adults received counselling

Child and youth counselling sessions

Children and youth received counselling

Clients attended workshops and groups
Max Bolka found people who understood what he was going through in a Bereavement Services support group.
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Read more about how Bereavement Services walking groups bring people together in nature.
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Feelings of isolation in grief can be even worse when stigma surrounds the death of a loved one.
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Two special women found friendship to last decades in a Victoria Hospice support group.
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Hospice Support Teams

Support teams are pivotal to Victoria Hospice’s mission, ensuring excellence across all aspects of care and operations. The Learning, Development, and Culture Department enhances staff training and organizational health, while the Research Quality and Safety teams drive data-driven improvements and ensure high standards of care. The Communications Department amplifies patient and family stories, supporting transparency and vital fundraising efforts. Finance, HR, and Fund Development teams collaborate to streamline budgeting, improve financial management, and sustain necessary funding. Together, these functions underpin Victoria Hospice’s commitment to compassionate, high-quality care.

Click here to read more about the work of these vital departments over the past year.

Financials

Message from the Treasurer

Thanks to the generosity of donors, community partners, and the provincial government, Victoria Hospice generated funding of $11.13 million during the 2023-24 fiscal year in support of our mission. Your contributions made a profound impact, funding programs of care including the Inpatient Unit, Bereavement Services, Palliative Response Team, and Volunteer Services. Additionally, funds were directed to site investigation costs, as we remain committed to finding a new location where we can continue to provide compassionate end-of-life care.

Through your unwavering support and our commitment to the careful stewardship of every gift, the financial position of Victoria Hospice remains strong. Together we will ensure people who are dying and their loved ones have access to the care they need when it matters most.

Sincerely,
Angus Izard, CPA-CA
Treasurer, VHS Board of Directors

Financial Statements

Audited Financial Statements of the Society (year end Mar 31, 2024)

Audited Financial Statements of the Foundation (year end Mar 31, 2024)

Donor Generosity

Your impact is beyond words

Victoria Hospice is grateful to the 6,230 incredible donors who helped provide specialized end-of-life care and bereavement support for patients and families this year.

Your heartfelt generosity brought comfort and solace, connection and meaning to people who are dying and the people who love them. It’s impossible to express the enduring value these acts of compassion have when time matters most.

Whether through attending our events, fundraising with your peers, making regular monthly donations, or choosing to make a meaningful gift in memory or in your Will, your dedication has made a significant impact.

No matter how you supported us, your contribution is what makes Victoria Hospice services possible. We deeply appreciate your kindness and are thankful to have you as part of our circle of care.

Gifts from donors support compassionate care

Hospice Hearts Monthly Giving Club members

Estate gifts received with deep gratitude
A generous $200,000 donation honours the compassionate spirit shared by lifelong friends Miriam Li and Josie Tan.
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Read about Max White, who touched the lives of countless patients, families, and staff at Victoria Hospice.
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When you combine wild ideas and practical expertise, you can create something wonderful. Read about the Cycle of Life Tour.
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VICTORIA HOSPICE 4TH FLOOR, RICHMOND PAVILION, 1952 BAY STREET, VICTORIA BC V8R 1J8 | donate@victoriahospice.org
250.519.1744 | victoriahospice.org | CHARITABLE REGISTRATION NUMBER: 11928 4230 RR0001