Palliative

What is Palliative Care?

Palliative Care is an approach to providing care that seeks to improve the quality of life of patients and their families facing the challenges associated with terminal illnesses.

The TRHA’s Community Palliative Care Service (CPCS) was established on September 23, 2014. It is an initiative aimed at providing quality end of life healthcare to terminally ill patients in the community. This service began with oncology patients only, however it will be expanded to include renal and other patients with terminal illnesses.

Where is the service delivered?

The CPCS provides home-based care to cancer patients who can no longer access care at theOncology Unit due to physical or clinical inability. Management of symptoms such as pain, dyspnea and terminal restlessness in the home provides peace of mind and comfort to relatives.

The CPCS Care Team

The CPCS Care Team comprises staffmembers who are familiar with the complications associated withterminal illness. They possess the compassion required to see patients through the illness trajectory. The service is currently coordinated Nurse Karen Frank,a qualified Palliative Care Nurse.

Home visits are made on demand to provide the best service at home bringing comfort to these patients and their families.

How to access our service:

Patients must be referred to the CPCS by a medical doctor. Patients of the Oncology Unit are referred by the doctor once they have reached that critical threshold where they can no longer come to the facility for care.

Services provided include:

• Conversations about end of life
• Pain and symptom management
• Grief and bereavement counselling

Activities & Achievements:

On October 7, 2016, the CPCS team hosted its first Remembrance Vigil for patients who accessed the service. Staff, family members and friends came together to show support for each other.

In January 2017, at the TRHA’s Employee Recognition Award Ceremony, the Community Palliative Care Service won the TRHA Quality Star Award for “Exceeding Expectations”.

Contact the department to see how you can be a part of future initiatives.