BC invests millions in hospices, creates action plan for end-of-life care

BC's minister of health today committed millions of dollars to four hospices in the Lower Mainland, and announced an action plan for the future of end-of-life care in the province. “[When someone is dying] it can be a time where there is grief and sorrow, but it can also be a time of joy and celebration of that person's life, so I think for me, the important thing about the announcements we're making is it's not about dying, it's about living,” said Health Minister Margaret MacDiarmid today at a press conference inside the Vancouver Hospice Society hospice home in Shaughnessy, a new hospice that will now open its beds to patients due to the funding boost.

The action plan, which so far has no committed funding, outlines goals for the province to help improve the quality of life of individuals with life-limiting illnesses. It addresses the fact that people prefer to die at home or close to home in comfort rather than in the clinical setting of a hospital. However, while in-home care is often desired, it is not always feasible. Read full story here.