More supports needed for hospice care in rural Alberta, report says
More funding needed to keep residents in home communities, says report from Rural Municipalities of Alberta
Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) is calling for better funding of community hospice organizations that provide end-of-life care, so Albertans living in rural and remote areas can get the care they need in their home communities, according to a new report.
The rural population is aging quicker than the rest of the province, and has a higher mortality rate, the report says. Rural Albertans also often have to choose between staying in their home communities without support, or travelling to larger cities to get the care they need.
Rural Canadians are also more likely than urban residents to be hospitalized at the end of their life and to die in hospital, the report says.
"The biggest thing we face is the operational dollars, and that is for staff funding," said Carrie Bartsch, executive director of the Grande Prairie Palliative Care Society in northwestern Alberta, while on CBC Radio's Edmonton AM.
"We would be able to support people in their homes to stay at home longer, when they get an end of life diagnosis — because we know palliative care, that diagnosis, can be years or it can be imminent. We need to be able to support people from birth to death."
The society, which aims to deliver and advocate for palliative care, currently only receives small municipal grants that ends up covering less than half of its operating budget, said Bartsch.
"We get some small amounts of funding to train our volunteers, because our volunteers have to go through extensive training," she said.
"We need to have a staff person to screen volunteers, organize them, as well as debrief and do those clinical supports and grief counseling."
The society serves Grande Prairie, but it also sends volunteers to the Municipal District of Greenview and Saddle Hills County. They also receive patients from areas like Fairview and Peace River, she said.
The report from RMA, which represents almost 70 counties and municipal districts, shows there are some supports in major centers, but rural places are struggling, Bartsch said.
"Grande Prairie by definition would not be considered rural, but it certainly is by geographical area," Bartsch said.
"Having a hub like this, that can support all of our surrounding areas, is vital to the well-being of individuals and families in the north."
She said it has been heartbreaking to deal hear the struggle of families, many of which have to leave their job and stay home to take care of a sick family member.
"Families that are able to stay at home also need respite care," she said. "They need a break. They need someone to talk to. They need someone to help navigate the complexity of our service system."
The organization has volunteers willing to support those people, but it doesn't have the money to maintain that type of service, she said.
In a statement, a Ministry of Health spokesperson said work is underway to assess funding models for hospices, which are now called Type C continuing care homes. The ministry also plans to add 25 new hospice spaces across Alberta by 2026.
"Alberta's government will continue to engage with Albertans and their families, along with key stakeholders, to improve access to palliative and end-of-life care in the community so that every Albertan is supported with care and dignity in the final stages of life, no matter where they live," the statement said.
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With files from Tara McCarthy