There are two new palliative care rooms in Yorkton. Located in Jowsey House in the Yorkton and District Nursing Home, the two rooms are aimed at giving a more home-like atmosphere for end of life care.
Diana Hornung, Health Services Manager for Yorkton and District Nursing Home, says that the two rooms are designed to have a more home-like atmosphere in the room, as well having furniture designed to allow family a way to spend time with their loved ones while they are in the room.
“It means a more homey, warm environment, it’s not as institutional.”
Hornung says that the need for palliative care is pressing in the health region, and she believes it has become even greater since the project to have dedicated palliative care rooms in the region began four years ago.
“We have five transition beds and four are palliative clients, so the need is there.”
The funding for the project was provided by Bailey’s Funeral Home and the Brayden Ottenbreit’s Close Cuts for Cancer local initiatives program. Between the two, $29,000 was raised to renovate the two rooms and buy equipment, including vital signs monitors, as well as upcoming improvements like ceiling tracks to help move clients. Ray Bailey with Bailey’s Funeral Home says that in their business, it’s clear that palliative care rooms like these are necessary.
“In our work we have so much interaction with families who have a loved one that needs palliative care and the supports it provides.”
The amount of support in the community doesn’t surprise Hornung, because she believes people are increasingly realizing the importance of end of life care.
“It doesn’t have to be cancer, it can be any end of life stage. More of us in our lives are feeling that, we’ve all had family members somewhere who are dealing with that and it’s hard to care for people in their homes.”
Premier Brad Wall also sat in on the presentation, and while he admits that the province has a long way to go with long term care, he says the project is a win for the community.
“It’s great when the local community can step forward like the people of Yorkton have and the local healthcare foundation has, because then things get done more quickly, and then the health region can leverage all the great resources from Saskatchewan companies and individuals who want to donate and make things happen.”
