Hospice Quinte is excited to announce that it is closing in on its fundraising goal to build a new hospice residence for the Quinte area. Executive Director Jennifer May-Anderson says, “The community has embraced the project wholeheartedly and we are thrilled to announce, that in less than a year, we have raised well over 54% of our $9.5 million goal with many more funding opportunities to pursue.”
May-Anderson adds, “We urgently need a hospice residence for the Quinte community. Last year 27 of our clients spent their last days in hospital, when they would have been eligible for a hospice residence. Five of our clients were forced to go outside of our community to receive end-of-life care in a hospice residence. With the success we have had so far in our fundraising efforts, Hospice Quinte is poised to fill this serious gap in palliative care in our community.”
In a full year of operation, the Hospice Quinte Care Centre expects to provide care to approximately 183 palliative residents based on an average stay of three weeks. As well, the Ontario Caregiver Association reports that for every palliative care client, approximately 5 family members are also supported. This translates into a total of 915 people per year who will benefit from the Hospice Care Centre.
Quinte West Mayor Jim Harrison says, “Quinte West is very pleased to see Hospice Quinte meet this important milestone in their fundraising efforts to bring a hospice residence to our area. The plans for the project meet Ministry of Health standards and guidelines and will allow Hospice Quinte to provide excellent end-of-life medical care for our residents, which they currently can’t access locally.”
May-Anderson explains, “We are building much more than a house. We are building a mini-hospital. The new Care Centre is required to follow guidelines set out by the Ministry of Health – similar to those in a hospital – which increases the overall cost of the project.”
The Hospice Quinte Care Centre will open its doors in 2021 and will provide 24/7 care by a highly skilled multi-disciplinary team of physicians and allied health care providers who will focus on pain management and providing the greatest quality of life possible for those nearing end of life.
Hospice Palliative Care Fast Facts
- The Quinte Region has the highest population of seniors of all Ontario and it is about to spike.
- 70-80% of Canadians would prefer to die at home, but the reality is that 67% die in hospital (Stats. Can. 2007).
- A recent report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information on palliative care indicates that 87% of Canadians required palliative care, but only 15% received it.
To learn more about the Hospice Quinte Care Centre or Hospice Quinte’s Heart & Home Building Campaign, click here.
