RESTRUCTURING necessitated by a change in available funding has taken place at Camdeboo Hospice and November 2019 is the beginning of a new era of professional home-based palliative care and support in Graaff-Reinet.
There are now only three part-time home-based carers, who are doing a magnificent job of still managing to give the necessary care to patients.
The operate under the leadership of Sister Loretta Wiehahn.
On the administrative side, the cuts are felt keenly, with only a full-time manager and a part-time local fund-raiser left on the staff.
There is now no support staff for reception, cleaning or general odd jobs, and the organisation is appealing to the community for volunteers to help fill some of the gaps.
One request is for help in transporting the carers from their homes each morning to their assigned area and back to their homes three hours later – with the limited time available, the carers like to make the best use of it by spending the time with their patients.
Once a month, food parcels are issued to needy patients, and a supervisor is needed to oversee this.
Also, occasionally there is a need to sort out storage space and donations that have been received.
For those with some energy to spare, the vehicles and yard need cleaning every week.
Jumble sales are held every Friday from 09:00 until approximately 11:00. Donations for these sales are always welcome, as well as volunteers to help man the sales.
The organisation also has a vast selection of second hand books available for sale during office hours, except on Wednesday and Friday mornings. Donations to refresh the stock are always welcome.
Hospice will be having a white elephant stall at the St James Christmas Fair on November 30, and help with this would also be appreciated, as well as some ‘white elephants’ to sell.
The new office hours are from 08:00-13:00 and 14:00-16:00 from Monday to Friday.
Anyone who would like to join the Hospice support team can contact Colleen Buckle at the office between 08:00 and 13:00 from Tuesday to Friday, or call her on 049 892 4608.
