The St. Albert Sturgeon Hospice Association (SASHA) has purchased two new Centrella Smart Beds for Foyer Lacombe-Covenant Care residents.
Each bed costs around $18,000, and with this latest purchase, seven of the hospice's 10 beds have now been replaced through donations from SASHA and the Covenant Foundation.
"They are high-quality air beds and highly technical," said SASHA executive director Heidi Evans. "Many residents in hospice aren’t able to get out too easily, and the last thing that they or their family want is to be in pain. These beds are designed for ultimate comfort and support, and for us, that’s just one step closer to ensuring that everyone’s final days are as comfortable as possible."
Chaplain Matthieu Coulombe of Foyer Lacombe-Covenant Care said the new beds have already made a noticeable difference.
"In hospice, unless you’re doing a little bit better, you spend most of your time in bed," he said. "When you realize that somebody spends the bulk of their time at the end of life in a bed, it becomes a major impact for them."
He recalled one resident who arrived with severe pressure sores that were expected never to heal. After moving to one of the new beds, her condition improved. "That impacted her quality of life in hospice in a huge way," he said.
Coulombe explained that the Centrella Smart Beds feature customizable mattress firmness, USB charging ports, built-in call buttons and extendable frames to accommodate taller residents. They are also narrow enough to fit through doors, making it easy to move people.
SASHA, which has about 40 to 45 volunteers, began working toward the goal of replacing all 10 hospice beds just a few years ago. Evans said the community's generosity has made the project move much faster than expected.
"At $18,000 each, we thought it would take many years to do this," she said. "But thanks to the outstanding generosity of our community, we’ve purchased five, and Covenant Foundation has purchased two, so now seven out of the 10 beds have been replaced."
Much of the funding comes from families who have had loved ones at Foyer Lacombe and want to "pay it forward" so future residents can have the same comfort, Evans explained. They are planning on continuing to fundraise for new beds until they are all replaced.
For some families, the impact of SASHA goes far beyond equipment. St. Albert resident Criselda Mierau said the organization's volunteer companion program transformed her father's life.
Her father, who is 87 and living with dementia, receives weekly visits from a volunteer close to his age.
"It sounds like this little, small, mundane thing, but it's not. It was completely transformative," said Mierau. "John's visits with my dad, not just invigorate him for that day, but I actually believe that that sense of energy, which is perhaps life itself, is energy that lingers with him longer than just that one day."
In addition to the compassionate care volunteer program, SASHA runs grief walks, caregiver support groups and public education events on end-of-life issues.
"We’re a small team, but we have a really big heart," Evans said. "We want to make sure that no one walks the end-of-life journey alone."
