La Maison de Tara, which featured on our website last year, is a hospice that offers an altermative to hopitalisation for people at the very end of their life. At the hospice, volunteers are not an 'add on' but are at the very heart of the hospice's activities and without themit simply could not exist. Following the success of its first training course, a second training course for English-speaking volunteers will begin in October this year. The course will be held one Saturday per month over a period of a year (see exact dates below).
On the course, volunteers will receive over 100 hours of training in basic knowledge, practical knowhow and 'how to be' with themselves, with residents and their families. Training is given by in-house and external people with deep experience of their subject. Course organizer, Daphne Fresle, told knowitall.ch, "Learning "how to be" is probably of the greatest importance in volunteers' support of patient, family and friends. What matters most is how we are more than what we say or do."
The training programme starts with modules on learning "how to be": the capacity to care emotionally and spiritually for patients, their families and loved ones. Further modules cover infectious disease, hygiene, patient transfer, manipulation of wheelchairs and beds, patient positioning and relaxing massage. Finally there are modules on palliative care, covering: illness, the ageing process, pain control, the death process, experiencing grief and ethics.
If you're expecting a baby in the coming months and are finding that you just don't have the time to prepare for it as well as you would like, or you simply just don't know where to begin preparing for an event as big as this - then BabySteps may be just what you're looking for!
Created by local mom, Florence Helg, BabySteps provides a comprehensive baby planning service, which will guide and support you through every step in the process, so that you can enjoy those magical moments when your baby arrives! Passionate about all aspects of maternity, and knowledgeable about the world of perinatal care in Western Switzerland, Florence will help you take those first baby steps in the process of planning for the arrival of your baby and will even offer guidance and support in the months that follow if necessary.
Florence told knowitall.ch, "Married for 3 years, and a mom of two, I have always been curious about all aspects of pregnancy, even before falling pregnant myself. I spend a lot of my time perusing magazines, books on nursing and childcare, and scientific articles concerning pregnancy and babies."
If you own a pet but are concerned about its health, chances are you will take it to a vet, who is specialised in treating animals. If, like in humans, the illness is a routine one, then your pet should be able to receive a standard treatment and recover fairly quickly.
However, in the same way that human illnesses are not always so easy to diagnose or can sometimes resist treatment, animals may also experience a number of symptoms that make it difficult for a vet to diagnose or treat the condition. These can include:
If you’re new to the region and are finding it difficult to settle in, then you may like to try out Gwen’s Workshops.
Set up in February by former speech therapist, Gwen Delforge, Gwen’s Workshops have been designed to help you find your way more easily in this French-speaking corner of the world, and provide you with a range of services including personalized French lessons and relocation coaching.
Gwen told knowitall.ch, "I created Gwen's workshops primarily for spouses and children of expats, who often find themselves alone after the first rush of a big move is over. I felt it would be nice for them to find a friendly, homely place where they can get help with their first steps in French, and receive information on basic needs such as how to deal with administration, how to communicate with schools and where to find sports lessons for children.
“After witnessing the experiences of local expats, I came to the conclusion that coaching lessons covering family harmony, “self-settling”, and self-confidence would also help them on their journey towards settling in, as would the opportunity to meet other women who have also just arrived in the Geneva area. Since English-speaking parents often have a difficult time helping their children with homework, I decided "Gwen's workshops" should also be there to provide first steps in French and help with homework. These workshops can also give children a wonderful opportunity to make new friends and share their experiences about their new life."
ESCA, the English-speaking cancer association for Geneva, Vaud and neighboring France, is looking for people to join its dynamic volunteer team in supporting—emotionally and practically—those who have cancer. They also need people who can help in planning special events, fundraising and outreach.
At the heart of the volunteering team is Kate Marx, Vice President for volunteers. A regular visitor at ESCA’s Drop-In Center in Grand Saconnex, she lights up the place with a hug here, a laugh there, and a smile for everyone!
But Kate’s first encounter with ESCA ten years ago was not so joyful, when her husband was diagnosed with cancer and needed the ease of his mother tongue to discuss the attendant emotional issues. Through a friend they were introduced to ESCA and its services, both professional and volunteer. Not long after his death Kate learned she had breast cancer herself. Once again she leaned on ESCA for support.
