After 'long haul,' Annapolis Valley hospice opens its doors

The Annapolis Valley hospice — the product of 20 years of determined effort — officially opened its doors Monday in Kentville, N.S.

The idea to bring hospice care to the area was first proposed in 1993. The Valley Hospice Foundation incorporated as a registered charity in 2000 and ground was broken in 2018.

"This hospice provides another opportunity for families to say goodbye to their loved ones, but also to celebrate the final weeks and days with them," Martha Stewart, chair of the Valley Hospice Foundation, told CBC's Information Morning.

The Valley hospice has 10 beds for people in need of end-of-life care, but are unable to stay at home or in hospital. It will start receiving patients at the end of the month.

Stewart said the building has a home-like interior with 10 private bedrooms. Each opens onto a patio overlooking the woods.

Each room has a chair or loveseat that pulls out into a bed, allowing a family member or friend to spend the night.

"We really strived to make them as comfortable as possible and not clinical.… It's a very peaceful, serene environment and one that we hope families will have some really positive memories in," Stewart said.

There's a kitchen for staff to prepare meals for the patients, but there's also a communal family kitchen and living area with a double-sided fireplace.

Stewart said it was "so emotional" to walk inside for the first time after seeing only sketches for the past few years.

The building is designed in the shape of a bird perched on a nest because it's in the woods overlooking a river.

"That's the kind of view that everyone can take some peace and comfort and joy from," she said.

The facility will be maintained and operated by the Nova Scotia Health Authority, but the Valley Hospice Foundation needed to come up with $4 million to make it happen.

The board raised the money with the help of people in the community, businesses and municipalities.

"I can't speak highly enough of our community, their persistence and especially their patience, because this has been a long haul for all of us," she said.

The hospice is the second in the province. The first opened in Halifax in 2019.

"As a son of the Annapolis Valley, as a citizen who would at some point potentially use this facility, I want to thank you for not losing hope or faith, and continuing to put your genuine care about the citizens of this region always at the forefront," Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil said at the opening ceremony.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony, while not open to the public because of COVID-19 restrictions, was live-streamed on the Valley Hospice Foundation's Facebook page to celebrate the milestone.