Palliative care will be greatly improved in Salmon Arm after $50,000 in funding was provided by the province.
The BC Centre for Palliative Care distributed $40,000 to the Shuswap Hospice Society to support a palliative-respite/day-hospice program.
In partnership with the palliative care association a $10,000 seed grant was allocated to the Shuswap Hospice Society to support patients and families.
Shuswap MLA Greg Kyllo says entering life’s final stages can be a difficult and confusing times for both families and patients.
"The funding provided to the Shuswap Hospice Society will go towards educational services to help give families peace of mind during their loved one's stay in palliative care,” explained Kyllo.
Examples of seed grant projects include workshops educating the public about advance care planning; recruiting and training volunteers to link patients with serious illness and families to the available local services; and public awareness campaigns about palliative-care supports.
In order to determine how the funds would be distributed the Ministry of Health and health authorities collaborated with the centre to study B.C.'s palliative population data to assess characteristics such as age, underlying cause of death and geography. Current bed-to-population ratios and home-based palliative services were also looked at, as well as projections of future demand.
"Our strategy includes specialized education for staff; dedicated resources in the form of a medical director and newly created nurse specialist roles; and the introduction of designated palliative beds, including those announced here,” said Interior Health board chair John O’Fee.
The BC Centre for Palliative Care was established in 2013 by the Institute for Health System Transformation and Sustainability to support palliative and end-of-life care practices.