New goals for Hospice Muskoka
In the January 17, 2023, Gravenhurst Council meeting, Hospice Muskoka announced new goals to be launched in the upcoming year.
Public Relations Coordinator, Matt Steer announced that the organization is currently working on opening a new site in the upstairs of the Cottage Country Family Health Care Team, in Gravenhurst. In addition to providing a care unit for support and programming at this site, he said, “This will be a residence facility but will hold palliative pain and management clinics, [and] grief and bereavement sessions.”
Another goal includes home care services. “Were working together with the home care organization process and providing palliative care nursing and PSW services for people in south Muskoka who want to stay at home to die,” said Steer.
Hospice Muskoka will also be partnering with schools to help young people with grief and bereavement, “and give them the ability to process, and management for potential mental health issues before they develop into destructive behaviors,” added Steer.
The organization hopes to launch the new initiatives in Muskoka in 2024. According to Steer, “We’re in a crisis right now and HM has a piece of the solution.” He adds, “We know that there are people in the community that are not getting the end of life care they need. They’re dying at home and don’t have the right support, and their caregivers are burning out.”
Hospice Muskoka is seeking the support of Council to help advocate with supportive communication to the Federal and Provincial government for funding to continue to be able to make an impact on the healthcare system.
“For a small regional organization, we are growing, innovating, and actually helping to shape what hospice care looks like across the entire province,” indicates Steer.
