Ontario Expanding Hospice in Geraldton

Written by Ontario Newsroom on 15 February 2018

More Patients and Families in the Geraldton Area to receive compassionate palliative care closer to home

Ontario is partnering with local communities to add 1 new hospice bed to the Geraldton District Hospital that will provide patients and families in Geraldton with better access to compassionate palliative and end-of-life care, closer to home.

Once the hospital’s new hospice bed is opened, it will increase capacity for nursing and personal support services to patients and their families closer to home.

By providing capital funding to eligible hospices to supplement local fundraising efforts, Ontario is supporting the creation of new and expanded hospices across the province. This investment will help more than 2,000 additional people and their families from the respective communities to access palliative and end-of-life care each year.

“We welcome this partnership with local communities to create additional hospice beds and improve end-of-life care for individuals in the region who need this service. This investment will continue to support better access to compassionate palliative and end-of-life care, closer to home for the people of Northwestern Ontario.” Laura Kokocinski, CEO, North West LHIN

Residential hospices provide expert care in a home-like environment, giving families and friends the space and care they need to be with their loved ones at one of the most vulnerable times in their lives.

The community-based hospice bed will provide compassionate care and comfort in a home-like environment for adults with life-threatening illnesses at end-of-life. Having access to the community-based hospice beds improves access to care close to home at end-of-life. Given that it is a community resource, the bed will be available to anyone in need that meets the eligibility criteria, regardless of where they come from.

“I am proud of our government’s continuous investments in expanding palliative and hospice care in our region. Expanding this type of end-of-life care is vital to supporting vulnerable Ontarians in a way that supports their families and loved ones, as well as the community as a whole.” Michael Gravelle, MPP Thunder Bay-Superior North

“I am delighted to announce more funding for hospices across Ontario. In 2016, we committed to expanding palliative and end-of-life care so that all Ontarians can receive high-quality and compassionate care closer to home. Helping hospices to open new beds will mean that even more people can benefit from their supports.” John Fraser, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care

Expanding access to compassionate palliative and end-of-life care is part of Ontario’s plan to create fairness and opportunity during this period of rapid economic change. The plan includes a higher minimum wage and better working conditions, free tuition for hundreds of thousands of students, easier access to affordable child care, and free prescription drugs for everyone under 25 through the biggest expansion of medicare in a generation.

QUICK FACTS

Ontario will provide up to $200,000 to help fund the costs of 1 new hospice bed in the Geraldton District Hospital.
The government is delivering on its 2016-17 commitment to supporting up to 20 new hospices across Ontario within three years by contributing to the construction and renovation costs for hospices.
In 2016, the province announced an additional $75 million for hospice and palliative care over three years. This additional spending will be on top of the $80 million already announced for hospice and palliative care, bringing the total to $155 million.