What is hospice palliative care?
The document released by the Local Health Integration Networks and the Quality Hospice Palliative Care Coalition of Ontario in 2011, – “Advancing High Quality, High Value Palliative Care in Ontario, A Declaration of Partnership and Commitment to Action,” defines palliative care as (p. 2-3):
- philosophy of care.
- The term “residential hospice care” refers to the care setting
- “Hospice palliative care aims to relieve suffering and improve the quality of living and dying. It strives to help individuals and families to:
- address physical
- address physical, psychological, social, spiritual and practical issues, and their associated expectations, needs, hopes and fears
- prepare for and manage end-of-life choices and the dying process
- cope with loss and grief
- treat all active issues
- prevent new issues from occurring
- promote opportunities for meaningful and valuable experiences, and personal and spiritual growth.
- Is appropriate for any individual and/or family living with, or at risk of developing a life-threatening illness, at any time they are prepared to accept this type of care and support
- May enhance other types of care – including restorative or rehabilitative care – or may become the total focus of care
- Is most effectively delivered by an inter-professional team of health care providers skilled in all aspects of palliative care – including volunteer staff
- Is most effective when the care is integrated at the clinical, organizational and overall system level
- Is person and family-centred, respecting people’s social, spiritual and cultural practices
- Includes end-of-life care, but is not limited to the time immediately preceding death.
Which organizations provide palliative care services in the Nipissing and East Parry Sound District?
Palliative care is not one agency or setting. It is a philosophy of care. Palliative care is provided across a full continuum of care settings (I.e. Hospitals, homes, Long-term Care Facilities, etc.), and services (I.e. Respite, nursing, grief support, etc.).
In the Nipissing and East Parry Sound districts we have a palliative education committee, and a End-of-Life Integrated Services committee (North Bay End of Life Integrated Services Committee).
These committees are within the North East Hospice Palliative Care Network. The aim of these committees is to provide a forum for integrating and coordinating hospice palliative care services and education within the Nipissing and East Parry Sound Districts. The committee acts in an advisory capacity to the North East Hospice Palliative Care Network on ideas for improving services and education at the local level, including proposals for new funding or realignment of existing resources and/or funding.
The End-of-Life committee consists of:
- Hospitals
- Long-Term Care Homes
- North East Community Care Access Centre
- Community Support Service Providers
- Visiting Hospice Program
- Residential Hospice
- First Nations
- Francophone
- Palliative Physician
- Pharmacy
- Pain & Symptom Consultation Service
- CSS System Navigator
- Consumers/families
- Palliative Education Services
- Pastoral Care
- Nurse Practitioner
- Funeral Home
Are there fees for Volunteer Visiting Hospice Services?
There is no fee.