Organization advocates for more palliative care beds in N.S.

When Andrea Weagle and her family sat down to discuss her father's deteriorating health in March, they decided end-of-life carewould be the most comforting option for him.

She contacted Fishermen's Memorial Hospital in nearby Lunenburg, N.S.,where the province had announced a palliative care unit with five beds in 2021.

ButWeagle said her father, who lived in Bridgewater,could not beadmitted due to a lack of staff in that hospice area.

Her dad, Ernest Bolivar, spent his last several days receiving end-of-life carein the emergency departmentof South Shore Regional Hospital in Bridgewater before being transferred to a private room eight hours before his passing. While in the ER, Weagleand her sister had to stay the night with limited overnight facilities available.

Marlene Wheatley, vice-chair of the South Shore Hospice Palliative Care Society, sayscaseslike that ofWeagle'sfatherare whyher organization is advocating for more end-of-life beds in the province.

Weagle, who is a nurse, said whilestaff in Bridgewater did a good jobcaring for her dad,havingaccess to a palliative care roomwould have made her family's already difficult situation a little more comfortable.

'Important to advocate'

She said palliative care rooms are designed with the patient's family members in mind. They are private, usually larger and have amenities to accommodate overnight stays, such as a bathroom, fridge and more electrical outlets.

"I do feel it's important to advocate for these things because people do deserve to have a respectful and dignified end-of-life experience," Weagle said. "And I think the more we can do to make it a positive experience for people, I think isvery important."

According to a report by the Canadian Cancer Society, Nova Scotia has thefewest palliative care beds in theMaritime provinces based on population. It hasonly 2.99 beds per 100,000 people whileP.E.I. has 6.01and New Brunswick has 4.27.

Comforting option in last days

Wheatley believes palliative care rooms give people the choice to spend their last days in an environment where they can be comforted, whether that is by playing soft music in the room, receiving visits from family and friends, or being held by a loved one.

But she said that when palliative patients end up in an emergency room, they are not in the best environment.

"The staff, of course, always do the best that they can do but they are restricted by space, by availability of beds and then by the availability of the type of bed," she said.

Wheatley's organizationhas contactedfour area MLAs, the towns of Lunenburg and Bridgewater, and Premier Tim Houston to raise awareness about theissue.

As a daughter who had to go through the process, Weagle said the option of end-of-life care in a palliative care room might help people with the grieving process.

"It often helps people move forward if they have a positive experience saying goodbye. It's all about showing love," she said.

5 beds in Fishermen's Memorial Hospital

When asked about the five beds in Fishermen's Memorial Hospital, a Nova Scotia Health spokesperson wrote in an email that they are "committed to overcoming the challenges related to resources and staffing to ensure these specialized rooms can begin serving patients as intended."

Upon further inquiry, Nova Scotia Health did not confirm if the five rooms are currently operational,but wrote thatthere are palliative consult teams available to ensure "each patient receives comprehensive care tailored to their specific needs."