Hospice Quinte announced today they have reached the halfway mark of their fundraising goal to build a hospice residence here in Quinte.
Executive Director Jennifer May-Anderson said on Wednesday the community has embraced the project wholeheartedly and in less than a year has helped to raise over 54 percent of their $9.5 million goal.
She says the need for a hospice residence in the area is urgent and last year 27 of their clients spent their last days in hospital when they would have been eligible for hospice care.
Hospice Quinte Care Centre is expected to provide care to approximately 183 palliative residents in a full year of operation.
Residents are expected to have an average stay of three weeks.
As well, the Ontario Caregiver Association reports that for every palliative care client, approximately five 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. This will allow Hospice Quinte to provide excellent end-of-life medical care for our residents, which they currently can’t access locally.”
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.
According to Hospice Quinte, the Quinte region has the highest population of seniors of all Ontario and 70-80% of Canadians would prefer to die at home, but the reality is that 67% die in hospital.
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.
