While individuals and families may prefer to avail of palliative care from their own home, those who have a life-limiting illness over the long-term may require care that is difficult to provide in the community. Your health-care team will do everything possible to ensure clients remain at home for as long as possible, however some individuals may decide to transition to a personal care home or long-term care facility.
Who we see
Individuals who have a life-limiting illness over the long-term and who receive, or will receive, care in a personal care home or long-term care facility.
How to access this service
Please contact the palliative care consult service/pain and symptom management service. The team can provide support and education for patients and families in determining the most appropriate course of action to ensure the best possible care quality of life.
How to reach us
Palliative care consult team/pain and symptom management: 709-777-7303 or toll-free at 1-855-690-7303
For personal care homes or long-term care contact information, please visit ltc.easternhealth.ca.
Are you looking for a meaningful volunteer opportunity?
Have you had experience with palliative care services within the last three years?
Are you willing to share your experiences with us to make a positive impact in health-care delivery for other clients at Eastern Health?
If you’ve answered yes to ALL of these questions, you can become a client and family advisor (CFA) for palliative care and end-of-life care.
The role of a patient and family advisor is to:
volunteer his or her time (about one to four hours per month);
support and encourage others to become involved and/or share information from other Eastern Health patients and families that will support improvements in care;
participate in a variety of ways to improve care, such as new policy development, facility planning and client surveys;
bring the patient and family perspective to the discussion table to facilitate organizational decision-making;
improve communication between patient, families and staff; and to
attend meetings, planned events, learning opportunities, or focus groups.
Palliative care is not just about dying, it’s about living as well as you can with a life-limiting condition.
Palliative care means choosing to access care from a health-care facility, personal care home – or from the comfort of your own home.
Many people think palliative care is only for people with terminal cancer, can only be initiated when all treatment options have failed or that it might speed up or prolong death, when in fact, the truth is quite the opposite.
When offered at the right time, a palliative approach to care can actually help improve quality of life, reduce stress and provide relief for individuals with serious illness – and their families.
Palliative Care Services at Eastern Health are comprised of an interdisciplinary team of health-care providers that offer services across the region at specific sites, as well as in the community.
Those involved in your care will differ depending on your own unique needs, the needs of your family and the location of your care.
A palliative approach to care includes:
Management of pain and other symptoms.
Ensuring adequate support (practical, emotional and spiritual) for you, your family and your caregiver(s).
Ensuring you, your family and your caregivers are knowledgeable about your condition so you can make informed decisions about your care.
Palliative care refers to treatments and services for people living with conditions such as:
Advanced-stage cancer
Advanced heart disease
Advanced kidney disease
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Frailty
Dementia
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)
Neurological conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
