Advocacy
How Can I Help-Advocate?
We take our role of advocacy seriously in that we have representation to many venues in an effort to improve availability of services and program funding in hospice palliative care.
Advocacy is about speaking on behalf of someone or a group.
According to a poll across Canada, 80 percent of Canadians express the desire to have quality palliative care at the end of life and only 5% actually receive it.
Every Canadian facing a life-threatening illness must have hospice palliative care available to them when they need it.
Every Canadian has a right to quality care at the end of life and a responsibility to advocate for it.
Do you want to make a difference and improve end-of-life care in our community?
Here are some things you can do.
For the general public:
- Talk about quality of life at all stages of life with your family
- Learn about your local hospice palliative care services and facilities
- Volunteer your time or contribute financially to hospice palliative care organizations in your community
- Inform your MLA that you want to see sustainable funding for hospice palliative care programs in your area
For employers:
- Allow flexibility in working hours and leaves of absence for employees caring for a loved one with advanced illness.
- Provide for long term illness and care giving benefit plans
- Ask your Extended Health insurance company to provide per diem payment for Hospice care
For physicians:
- Learn about the local hospice palliative care services available to your patients
- Discuss those options with your patients and make early referrals.
- Keep up to date in hospice palliative care knowledge
June 2, 2005,Senator Sharon Carstairs released a report titled, "
Still Not There-Quality End of Life Care: A Progress Report"