Palliative care programs are now being piloted for residents in the East Prince and Southern Kings Health.
The Rural Palliative Home Care Project, a Federal Health Transition Fund Project, aims to improve palliative care in rural communities by understanding the needs of patients and caregivers. The project provides easier access to services in the home and increases awareness of palliative care among patients, their caregivers and health care providers.
Health and Social Services Minister Jamie Ballem advised that as part of the project both regions are implementing palliative care pilot programs in partnership with staff in home care, acute care, long term care and the community.
"In addition to enhancing coordination of care, a partnership approach improves palliative care services and ultimately offers patients and their families the choice of receiving palliative care in their home," said Minister Ballem.
Palliative care is for individuals and families who are living with a life threatening illness or who are bereaved. It provides physical, emotional, and spiritual care with a focus on living fully to the end of life with comfort and dignity.
As part of the pilot, resource teams have been developed in both East Prince and Southern Kings. Comprised of a physician, two nurses, and in East Prince, a pharmacist, this new resource team provides leadership and support to staff delivering palliative care services to the patient and family. Team members have special training
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in pain and symptom management and work with family physicians, nurses, volunteers and other health professionals to meet the needs of palliative patients and their families at home, in hospital and in long term care facilities.
"It is our goal to make palliative care services available to everyone in the pilot regions," stated Corinne Rowswell, Rural Palliative Home Care Project Coordinator. "These new palliative care programs help ensure that palliative care services now being offered are enhanced and strengthened using a cooperative approach."
Recommendations from the Rural Palliative Home Care Project and other initiatives will be used by the Provincial Palliative Care Advisory Committee to help identify priorities so all Islanders can have equitable access to palliative care services across the province.
For more information about palliative care programs in East Prince call (902) 432-2709 or in Southern Kings call 838-0950.