Introducing Nav-CARE

Foothills Country Hospice Society (FCHS) is taking hospice care beyond the walls of its residential hospice and out into the Foothills Community with the introduction of Nav-CARE, a non-medical, resource navigation and volunteer companioning program that supports adults who have a palliative diagnosis.

“Living with a palliative diagnosis can present many non-medical challenges; some examples might include social isolation and loneliness, as well as challenges navigating what supports are available for maintaining a positive quality of life,” said Foothills Country Hospice Society Community Volunteer Coordinator Tammy Pelletier.

“Nav-CARE is a community support program that has been designed to help community members who are living with a palliative diagnosis navigate some of those challenges while being supported by a compassionate volunteer,” said Pelletier.

The program works by matching Nav-CARE clients with an experienced palliative volunteer who visits regularly and helps to identify and navigate community resources and nurture a safe and compassionate connection. Nav-CARE volunteers offer support that encourages independence and focuses on supporting an improved quality of life for community members living with a palliative diagnosis.

More information on Nav-CARE, including the program intake form, can be found online here.

Growing hospice care in the foothills

Foothills Country Hospice is growing to fulfill the needs of the foothills and Calgary communities. Join us as we grow our facility, take hospice into the community, and create sustainability.

Growing our Care Facility

Expand to 16 beds, doubling our capacity to care for 200 or more residents and their loved ones annually.

Take Hospice into the Community

Provide community-based end-of-life supports and bereavement counseling that are integrated as part of daily well-being for people approaching end-of-life and those who support them.

• Nav-CARE: A volunteer-run program focused on supporting people in living as well as possible through compassionate connection.
• No One Dies Alone (NODA): Volunteer companionship and support for individuals who are expected to die within 48 to 72 hours.
• Enhance Respite & Palliative Symptom Management: Evolve models of respite care for a large rural geographic area and provide patients with brief palliative symptom management and pain control, giving families and caregivers an essential break.

Creating Sustainability

Alberta Health Services (AHS) provides 57% of all operational funding for the current facility. AHS has agreed to continue this level of funding for the expanded 16-bed facility. All other funding for operations and programming must come from generous community support. Creating a solid endowment in support of FCHS is a significant step toward sustainability.

Visit countryhospice.org/compassioninaction to learn more about Compassion in Action.

Compassionate Conversations



With Compassionate Conversations, trained bereavement volunteers will arrange for regular calls with grieving family members to offer a supportive, caring ear as their grief journey unfolds.

From left, Kathy, Donna, June, and Susan are a part of our dedicated 8-person Compassionate Conversations team. These volunteers are skilled at establishing supportive relationships and creating a safe space to normalize and validate the grief experience.

If you’re interested in learning more or need to access support, please visit our “Programs & Support” page on our website or click here. For any additional questions, please contact us at grief@countryhopsice.org.