National Hospice Palliative Care Week 2020
4 May 2020
La Pêche, May 4, 2020 – May 4th to 10th marks National Hospice Palliative Care Week in Canada. A great platform to raise awareness about palliative care, to highlight the impact La Maison des Collines is having in local communities and to take the opportunity to do some myth busting.
La Maison des Collines opened its doors on April 4th, 2019. In our first year of operation, one hundred eighteen people have been admitted to our palliative care home. There is no doubt there was a need for this community service. Our goal has always been to offer a welcoming environment where patients and caregivers are treated with respect, where pain and other symptoms are addressed with diligence, and where people receive the emotional, social, and psychological support they need.
Education about palliative care is also a big part of what La Maison des Collines is all about. “People have different beliefs, fears and expectations concerning palliative care,” said Dr. David Ian Gold, Chair of the Board of La Maison des Collines. “Since this is National Hospice Palliative Care Week, we thought we’d share some thoughts with you about our vision of palliative care and hopefully dispel some of the myths surrounding it. It can have such a positive impact on people’s lives. Everyone should be able to receive the benefit of a restorative touch, a listening ear and experience the particular comfort that comes from being part of a caring community.”
Some believe that palliative care is only for people with cancer. Here at La Maison des Collines, we provide care for patients in the final stage of their life, regardless of their diagnosis. In fact, palliative care is more about an approach rather than a place. Services can be provided in a variety of settings, often at home.
If you or a loved one feel that palliative care might be right for you, start the conversation with your healthcare provider to find out more about it. Remember that the aim of palliative care is to improve quality of life for patients and their families and the right moment to start it depends on the person. There’s no right age either. Palliative care is for people of all ages from infancy to adulthood.
Inclusiveness has been our motto from the beginning. Please share your thoughts, questions, and concerns with us so that together we can continue to help improve access to and raise awareness of palliative care.
About La Maison des Collines
La Maison des Collines (MDC) is a centre of excellence in palliative care, with a team of professionals offering support to patients and their families at every stage of the end-of-life process. Learn more at lamaisondescollines.org.
Information: Julie Filion, Executive Director | 819.459.1233 poste 207 | dg@lamaisondescollines.org
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