The Prince George Hospice Palliative Care Society is in the development of Hospice at Home, a new program will provide expert hospice care to those who choose to die at home and their families.
The Prince George Hospice Palliative Care Society (PGHPCS) has been providing grief and bereavement services to the community of Prince George since 1987. In May 1995, the Rotary Hospice House (RHH) admitted its first guest. RHH was the first hospice house in B.C. Since then, hospice been committed to leading hospice care both provincially and nationally. The Rotary Hospice House provides care to over 230 guests per year, supporting over 1,400 of their friends and family.
When asked, 70 per cent of Canadians say they wish to die in their own home. In Prince George in 2017:
- 47.5% people die in Hospital
- 20% die at Home
- 10% die in Hospice; the remainder died in long term care homes
People wish to die at home, but near the end they end up in our emergency room and die in the hospital due to various reasons. The PGHPCS would like to expand their service to those that wish to die at home and provide home hospice care. The only other hospice which provides this care is Victoria Hospice.
This is non-government funded, and hospice will continue to seek community support for this program. We anticipate stating the program in the fall 2022.