Hospice palliative care resources

The status of community services is continually changing during the COVID-19 outbreak. Please contact your local service to check if it is still operating. 

Hospice is a focused, team approach to providing healthcare and other needed services to patients nearing the end of life. The hospice team is comprised of physicians, nurses, social workers, therapists, pastoral representatives, home health aides, volunteers, and family caregivers. Its mission is to provide comfort care to patients and their families in less institutionalized settings and with less strict routines.

Palliative care refers to both a program and a concept of care based on the provision of comfort. It is designed for individuals who are living with, or dying from, a progressive life threatening illness. The program enhances quality of life through pain and symptom control and provides emotional and spiritual support for both patients and families. Compassionate and specialized care is provided with specialized knowledge and skills.

• Alberta resources

  Alberta Health Services ' Palliative Care Program provides support to clients and families/caregivers to prepare for and manage end-of-life and the dying process and to cope with loss and grief during the illness and bereavement. Care is focused on enhancing the quality of life of the individual and family.

  Hospice Calgary Society embraces children, teens and adults coping with life-threatening illness, sudden or expected death. At Sage Centre and Rosedale Hospice, specialists provide individual counselling, group support, workshops and 24-hour end-of-life care.

  Foothills Country Hospice The Foothills Country Hospice Society is a grassroots community sponsored organization dedicated to providing expert compassionate care to people who are terminally ill and to their families.

  Edmonton Zone Palliative Care Program coordinates palliative care services in the Edmonton Zone health Region. This program sets the standards for the palliative care provided, ensures the transfer of people and information works well, provides palliative care education to the public and health care staff and supports research.

  Pilgrims Hospice Society provides supportive and compassionate family centred care to enhance the quality and dignity of life for those diagnosed with a progressive, life-threatening illness as well as solace to those who are bereaved.

  Red Deer Hospice is a home for the terminally ill and provides a quiet and caring environment for individuals who are at the end of life's journey, a home away from home. The hospice has 10 comfortably appointed individual rooms and includes family support areas, a dining area and a sanctuary.

  Alberta Human Services offers information on personal directives – legal documents which allow you to name a decision maker and/or provide written instructions to be followed when, due to illness or injury, you no longer have the capacity to make decisions such as where you will live or the medical treatment you will receive.

  The Alberta Funeral Services Regulatory Board offers information on the decisions one faces when planning for end of life.

• Northwest Territories resources

  The GNWT Health and Social Services Home Care Program helps people remain in their homes when they are sick or in need of medical help or support with daily living activities. The program assists people to stay in their homes rather than going to a hospital or long term care facility which may not be located in their community.

• National resources

  Compassionate Care Benefits are employment insurance benefits paid to people who have to be away from work temporarily to provide care or support to a family member who is gravely ill and who has a significant risk of death within 26 weeks (six months). A maximum of six weeks of compassionate care benefits may be paid to eligible people.

  The Canadian Virtual Hospice provides support and personalized information about palliative and end-of-life care to patients, family members, health care providers, researchers and educators.

  The Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association is the national association which provides leadership in hospice palliative care in Canada. Advancing and advocating for quality end-of-life/hospice palliative care in Canada, its work includes public policy, public education and awareness.