Hospice Georgian Triangle’s executive director Debbie Kesheshian joined colleagues from across the province in responding to a recent report published by Health Quality Ontario as they provide guidance on how to improve end-of-life care in the province.
“This report, along with the recommendations from the Auditor General is timely for the Georgian Triangle community as it provides a ringing endorsement for the strides we have taken locally to improve hospice palliative care. The opening of Campbell House, a six-bed residential hospice, along with the ongoing volunteer community programs, we have been offering families for over 25 years, are providing the care, comfort and companionship that is specifically mentioned in both reports on improving healthcare,” said Kesheshian.
Bruce West, Chairman of the Board of Directors along with Rebecca Wall, Ron Emo and many other Hospice Georgian Triangle visionaries knew all along the importance of hospice palliative care for our community, which is why they dedicated the last few years to bringing this vital service to Collingwood.
“Leading up to the building of Campbell House our research clearly indicated that 25 per cent of the Georgian Triangle population is 65 years plus, significantly over the provincial average of 12.6 per cent. In fact, the provincial median age is 40.4 years, Collingwood is 47 years, Wasaga Beach is 52.6 years and Thornbury is 54.1 years. Stayner is the lowest in our service area with 41.2 years,” said West. “We know that the six residential Hospice beds for our region is just the beginning and what we have created with Campbell House is such a solid model that it could be easily expanded and replicated in other smaller communities like ours.”
Since opening in August of 2014, Campbell House has had 48 patients through the doors.
“It has been most rewarding for our team to care for each of these patients and their families at this very special time of life,” said lead registered nurse Allison McHaig. “All six beds have been full since we opened reaching our highest occupancy rate in October with 92 per cent and the average length of stay of 11 days. Each situation is unique and we are learning from each patient we care for in the house and out in the community. The support from our impressive team of family doctors has been encouraging and they are continuing to see their patients once they are admitted into our care. This community should be congratulated on how well palliative care is being delivered and this model is exceptional. I am also personally moved by the financial support of this community, it is remarkable.”
McHaig recently relocated to Collingwood from Toronto where she was a palliative care nurse at Princess Margaret Hospital.
“Bringing Allison to lead our team was one of the best decisions we could have made as we realized the dream of a residential Hospice for the Georgian Triangle. Her expertise has been instrumental and we have been able to assemble an incredible group to provide care,” said Kesheshian.
“Dr. Kate McLachlin, the medical director and palliative care specialist oversees care and is supported by Dr. Alyssa Boyd, another palliative care physician. The Campbell House team works collaboratively to offer not only clinical pain and symptom management but also psychological and spiritual support. We have strong bereavement services and are working at enhancing our community program as most people want to be at home as long as possible. We want to be a centre of excellence and we are well on our way to reaching this goal.”
Facts on hospice palliative care from the Health Quality Ontario report and the Auditor General’s report:
• An important conversation for everyone to have involves planning ahead for death. We are all going to die. The how, when and where are the only surprises. We do know that only three per cent will die suddenly the rest will benefit from hospice palliative care. The vast majority of us will benefit from the care, compassion and supports that will help us manage pain and symptoms, stress on the family, and the other social, practical and spiritual aspects of dying.
• Now is absolutely the time to expand access to hospice palliative care. The aging population is inevitably, and rapidly, escalating the numbers of people needing hospice palliative care.
• Community care is where the investments should be made. People want to be at home or in a residential hospice, and with the right supports they can be at home. It’s also more cost effective.
• We need to expand access to care by increasing the number of residential hospice beds, we need to increase home supports and we need to create coordinated teams throughout the province, and we need people to talk about end of life with their families.
• Community care is so much more cost effective and it is where people would rather be when possible. The best care is provided when there are teams in communities who can help people receive the support they need at home, which might be quicker access to pain management or another type of home care support, and then this helps people to move to a residential hospice if and when the time comes. And that timing, while different for everyone, is on average within the last three weeks of life.
• Residential hospice care allows families to become families again. The pain is eased for the patient, the stress of the family is relieved, and people can spend those last days celebrating a life, and saying their goodbyes.
• The Auditor General’s report notes that hospital beds are more than double the cost of a residential hospice bed.
• The report notes the need for 755 to 1,080 hospice palliative care beds. Right now, there are 289 beds in the province. There are hospices in various stages of planning and development and construction right now, waiting for provincial funding, which would add another 200 beds.
• Additionally, we know that there are 12,000 people a year in would benefit from residential hospice care. These people cannot stay at home and without residential hospice care will end up in hospital, needlessly, simply because they can’t stay at home and there is nowhere else for them to go. And that number is going to grow.
• We know we have to build access and capacity now to meet the immediate need and the imminent need.
• The report indicates the quality of care being received is good, but the delivery is patchwork and more coordination of care is required. We will continue to work with the government to develop and implement a plan to expand access to care throughout the province.
• Compassionate, desirable, and cost effective. Studies and pilots have demonstrated that coordinated community care keeps people where they’d rather be and avoids unnecessary expensive trips to the hospital.