Every 3 minutes, someone in Canada dies. Most Canadians say they would prefer to die at home, yet of the 220,000 Canadians who die each year, 3 out of 4 die in hospital or a long-term care facility. Fewer than 10% of Canadians receive appropriate hospice care. The end of a person’s life is a precious time. Human beings need to find meaning in life and peace in death.
The Hospice Society of Greater Halifax is a not-for-profit community-based organization working together with individuals and organizations in the Capital Health District to help people live fully and die well. We help those facing the end of their lives to receive the best of care. The Hospice Society assists people to stay at home, or when home is not an option, to offer a home-like environment in a hospice.
Although most Canadians say they wish to live and die at home, not everyone has that option. The Hospice Society believes a hospice residence will provide the best alternative by providing quality care and family support in a homelike setting.
Hospice palliative care aims to relieve suffering and improve the quality of living and dying for all. Hospice palliative care helps people and their families cope with loss and grief during the illness and bereavement. It addresses physical, emotional, practical, and spiritual issues and helps people to prepare for life closure. Care is delivered by a team of skilled health care providers in a variety of settings: hospitals, long-term care facilities, residential hospices, or at home.
In May 2001, a small group of concerned individuals in Halifax, Nova Scotia, recognized the growing need for the delivery of a more comprehensive, more compassionate and more caring "End-of-Life Care" quality network throughout the local community. To meet this challenge, this group formed a Board of Directors and Advisory Board who are truly committed to reaching that objective.
The Hospice Society of Greater Halifax was formed in June 2001 by a group of individuals who recognize that more choices are needed to provide comprehensive end-of- life care in the Halifax area. The Hospice Society is supported through donations and grants.
The Hospice Society is about providing quality care to the dying by providing additional support and education for caregivers. There are some excellent hospice palliative care services in the region, but they do not include a residential hospice facility. We are working on the creation of a home-like hospice facility, which would provide another choice for those who, for whatever reason, are not able to complete their lives at home.
Building a hospice means partnering with governments, volunteers, and the private sector to provide access to services and maximize resources. We are currently reaching out to people, community organizations, and church groups who share our concerns about the quality of end-of life care. Energy is being spent on increasing public awareness about hospice palliative care. And, of course, we are raising the funds to accomplish these goals.
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