The Yarmouth Regional Hospital will soon contain a more welcoming space to support and care for palliative patients and their families.
The Yarmouth County Hospice Society, Nova Scotia Health Authority, and the provincial Department of Health and Wellness made the announcement today at the hospital.
Hospice Society chair Shirley Hubbard has been working toward this goal for many, sometimes frustrating, years, along with the many volunteers, after the society was formed in 2004.
“We just kept plugging away at it and we all had the very same dream, to have a place where people could die with dignity…and we just kept going ahead with it..and this is quite a day for Yarmouth County Hospice Society.”
An area of 4-North will be set aside with up to seven rooms renovated to make a more comforting space for patients who need end of life care.
Peggy Green, the NSHA’s Director of Health Services, Western Zone and Health Systems Leader for the Yarmouth Hospital, says there were a lot of hurdles to get over before today’s announcement.
“Part of our whole challenge has been finding the right space, trying to figure out staffing models, and then also, quite frankly, the funding to get space that’s designated for that”
The work will be done in phases with a working group comprising members from the society and the NSHA making decisions on the renovations to make the rooms more welcoming.
Planning and fundraising will begin immediately in coordination with the group.
Shirley Hubbard gave a heartfelt and emotional thank you to everyone has has helped get the dream to this point.
Reported by Sean MacLellan