By Chelsea Laskowski

End-of-life care efforts ramp up in Prince Albert

Nov 13, 2014 | 5:48 AM

A group dedicated to helping people with terminal medical conditions die peacefully is stepping up its efforts to build Saskatchewan’s first standalone hospice.

A Thursday ribbon-cutting for Rose Garden Hospice Incorporated’s new development office is a sign of that effort.

The hospice board’s chair Marge Jurgens explained hospitals, especially Prince Albert’s, are often over capacity. On top of the “crunch for beds,” she added terminally ill people face different circumstances than most in hospital.

“The hospital environment is meant for acute care, meant as a focus to heal and improve health. A hospice’s theme is to provide a peaceful, relaxed environment for those who are in the terminal stages of an illness.”

While some may choose to spend their final days at home, she pointed out that’s not an option for everyone.

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“It provides an alternative from home and hospital” when it’s not possible to stay in the home for environmental purposes, whether it’s space restrictions or the convenience of having medical equipment on hand, she said.

That includes health care in the form of controlling pain associated with people’s illnesses.

Currently, there are palliative care locations attached to hospitals and other organizations in the province, but Rose Garden is the first plan that involves a building solely dedicated to end-of-life care.

Already in the works for years, Jurgens said the idea for Rose Garden came from Don Dashchuk after his wife died years ago.

“He thought there must be something better that can provide care than in the hospital that he had experienced,” she explained.

While the hospice itself is an estimated five to six years away, Jurgens explained the development office is an important step.

The office, located in Gateway Mall near Sears, will act as a contact point for people who want to stop in and learn more about palliative care – or donate – as well as providing space for the board to meet.

However, this office is much different from most – it features a made bed and other bedroom amenities.

“It’s meant to also act as a demonstration of what a room within the hospice will hopefully look like,” Jurgens said.

The life expectancy of most people who would live there is less than three months, but the average stay in palliative care is 10 days, she explained.

While there are no shovels in the ground yet, there have been offers of land through benefactors as well as talks with the city about a future location.

-With files from Nigel Maxwell

claskowski@panow.com

On Twitter: @chelsealaskowski