Picton’s is first residential hospice to receive SE LHIN funding

Sherry Kennedy

The South East Local Health Integration Network has approved $190,000 toward the business plan for Hospice Prince Edward‘s three-bed residential hospice at 40 Downes Avenue, Picton. It is the first residential hospice to receive SELHIN funding.

The funding will go toward services for palliative clients and is to be an annual amount evaluated over the first year, said Sherry Kennedy, SELHIN Chief Operating Officer, Tuesday, in Picton. “We anticipate this will be an amount going forward.”

“This business plan, created in conjunction with staff at the LHIN, provides a unique model of clinical operations for the home,” said Nancy Parks, HPE executive director. “We have no doubt that the evaluation will show value, not only from a funding perspective, but also from a service perspective in the delivery of compassionate and supportive hospice care.”

The community residential hospice home will offer professional clinical and personal support services provided by the South East Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) contracted providers. Hospice Prince Edward will also coordinate and partner with Quinte Health Links, the PE Family Health Team, other community health services, hospital providers and HPE volunteers.

The home was purchased by HPE through the generosity of donors in Prince Edward County.

“This ‘home-away-from-home’ will provide comfortable client rooms, a family room and kitchen for family use, barrier-free access on the main level, along with 24-hour secure access for families,” explained Parks. “ln the large downstairs area, we’ll have community meeting areas and room enough for staff, volunteers and supporters to come together to plan and carry out HPE palliative and bereavement programs. For HPE this will also be our agency home, providing a one-stop central location for our hospice presence in the community. This home is owned by our community for use by our community.”

Parks noted Loyalist Contractors is ahead of schedule an that the residential hospice should be opening in June.

HPE’s ongoing Community Campaign has a goal of raising $875,000 to support the creation of the community residential hospice, its programming and its on-going presence in the community. To date, more than half has been raised.

“We are enormously proud of our volunteers and our local community for their generosity, passion and support in ‘lighting the way’ for residential hospice services in Prince Edward County” said Birgit Langwisch, President, Hospice Prince Edward. “Our volunteers are the heart of the association. Every single person who deals with us brings a very important piece to the organization. We have many community partners and a long list of people to thank.”
Visit Hospice Prince Edward’s website.

Hallowell Firefighters Association members Chris Armstrong, Capt. David Fox, Wes Manlow and Capt. Steve Vickers presented Joscelyn Matthewman, Hospice Prince Edward vice-president with $500 raised at the the firefighters’ Maple in the County pancake breakfast.