Scottsdale Dental Centre Supports Hospice Wellington — Giving Back to the Guelph Community
At Scottsdale Dental Centre, we have been part of the Guelph community since 1987. That is not a marketing line. It is the truth of what this practice is and where it comes from.
Over nearly four decades at 630 Scottsdale Drive, we have cared for Guelph families through every stage of life. We have treated children who are now bringing their own children to us. We have been trusted by patients during some of the most difficult moments of their lives. We have watched this city grow and change around us, and we have stayed, not because it was the easiest business decision, but because this is our community and we are committed to it.
That commitment extends beyond the dental chair. It means investing in the organizations and people who make Guelph the kind of city worth caring about. One of those organizations is Hospice Wellington.
We are proud to donate to and support Hospice Wellington, and we want to use this post to tell you why, and to make sure that every Guelph family knows what Hospice Wellington offers, because many people who need their services do not know they exist until it is almost too late to ask.
What is Hospice Wellington?
Established in 1980 by concerned and motivated volunteers, Hospice Wellington has enjoyed a supportive and fulfilling relationship with the Guelph community for over four decades.
Hospice Wellington provides services to support those individuals of Guelph and Wellington County who are living with a life-limiting illness or experiencing grief and bereavement. These programs extend to the families and caregivers supporting those diagnosed with a life-limiting illness.
Their mission is to be a centre of excellence for palliative care and bereavement support, and their vision is to nurture an environment where anyone facing end of life or bereavement is comforted, loved and supported.
All of their services are offered at no cost to the individual thanks to the generosity of donors, government funding and the support of community partners in Guelph and Wellington County.
That last point deserves to be said clearly: every single service Hospice Wellington provides is free of charge to the people who need it. Families going through the hardest period of their lives should never have to worry about whether they can afford support. Hospice Wellington makes sure they do not have to.
What services does Hospice Wellington provide?
Hospice Wellington’s community programs include one-to-one palliative, caregiver and bereavement volunteer support, a palliative day program for clients and respite for caregivers, group support programming for bereavement and caregivers, art therapy groups and workshops, and integrated wellness programs including a variety of complementary therapies and a lending library.
Their residential hospice at 795 Scottsdale Drive provides around-the-clock care seven days a week for patients who need inpatient palliative support. Residential hospice referrals come from health care providers and collaborative care partners, and can be initiated by a family physician, Ontario Health at Home case manager, home care nurse, hospital discharge planner, or palliative care specialist.
Hospice Wellington has also been at the forefront of bringing palliative care into the broader community in innovative ways. Hospice Wellington and Guelph-Wellington Paramedic Services began a pilot program that trained all Guelph-Wellington paramedics to treat palliative patients at home rather than transporting them to the hospital, making Guelph-Wellington Paramedic Services one of the only paramedic services in the province able to transport patients directly to hospice as an alternate destination. Programs like this have resulted in patients accessing palliative care 17 times faster, and ninety-four per cent of patients did not need trips to the ER in the following days.
This is not a passive organization. Hospice Wellington is actively shaping how palliative care is delivered in Guelph and Wellington County, and the difference it makes to families is measurable.
Why Hospice Wellington matters to Scottsdale Dental Centre
There is something meaningful about the fact that Hospice Wellington is located at 795 Scottsdale Drive, just along the street from our practice at 630 Scottsdale Drive. We share a street. We share a community. We see many of the same Guelph families.
We have patients whose family members have been cared for by Hospice Wellington. We have heard those stories in our practice. We know what this organization means to people in this city.
The work Hospice Wellington does is among the most important work any organization in Guelph undertakes. They are there as your story unfolds, to provide you and your family with the compassionate end-of-life care and support you need and deserve.
Most people do not think about palliative care or bereavement support until they suddenly need it. And when they need it, they need it completely, in circumstances that are already overwhelming. Having an organization like Hospice Wellington available, accessible, and free of charge is something many Guelph families only truly appreciate when it touches their own lives.
That is why we donate. Not because it is good for business, but because it is the right thing to do for the community that has supported us since 1987.
How does Hospice Wellington support Guelph families in practice?
Hospice Wellington welcomes every individual who comes through their doors with open arms and open hearts. Their services, programs and relationships are rooted in care, dignity, and compassion.
For a family member facing a life-limiting diagnosis, this can mean volunteer support at home, access to a palliative day program that provides respite for caregivers, access to art therapy as a way of processing grief and illness, and complementary therapies that support quality of life during a deeply difficult time.
For someone who has lost a loved one, it can mean bereavement support groups, one-to-one volunteer connections, and a community of people who understand what grief actually feels like and are trained to help navigate it.
Hospice Wellington continues to focus on ensuring all community members know of the services available to them, their families and neighbours. One of the most important things that supporters and community partners can do is help spread that awareness — because a family that does not know Hospice Wellington exists cannot access the support it offers.
How to access Hospice Wellington services in Guelph
If you or a family member is living with a life-limiting illness, or if you are supporting a loved one through this experience, Hospice Wellington’s community programs are available to you at no cost.
For residential hospice referrals, the application form is available on their website and can be completed by a family physician, Ontario Health at Home case manager, home care nurse, discharge planner in hospital, or palliative care specialist.
Community programs are available without a formal referral. You can contact Hospice Wellington directly to learn about what is available and how to get started.
How you can support Hospice Wellington
Hospice Wellington is a registered charity that operates primarily through private donations and fundraising initiatives. The services they provide free of charge to Guelph families are made possible by the generosity of individual donors, community partners, and local businesses.
If you would like to support Hospice Wellington, you can donate directly at hospicewellington.org. You can also participate in their annual fundraising events, volunteer your time, or simply help spread awareness of the services they offer among friends, family, and neighbours in Guelph and Wellington County.
Every contribution matters. Every conversation that helps someone in need find Hospice Wellington matters.
A note from Dr. Ahmad
I have been practising dentistry in since 2007 and this city has become home in the deepest sense. My patients are not just patients. Many of them are people I have known for years, whose families I have cared for, whose milestones I have been trusted to be part of.
Being a good dentist means more to me than clinical excellence, though that matters enormously. It means being a good member of the community that supports this practice. It means knowing what is happening in Guelph, caring about the people and organizations that make it what it is, and doing our part to contribute.
Hospice Wellington does extraordinary work. If you or someone you love has ever been touched by their care, you already know that. If you have not, I hope you never need them in the way that makes their work most necessary. But I am grateful every day that they are here for the families in our community who do.
Supporting Hospice Wellington is one small way we try to give back to the community that has made this practice possible for nearly four decades. We encourage every Guelph business and resident who is able to do the same.
Farhan Ahmad, DDS Scottsdale Dental Centre, Guelph