The seven hospice volunteer visiting programs supported by the North East Local Health Integration Network (NE LHIN) have been chosen by Hospice Palliative Care Ontario to take the lead in developing performance indicators to ensure quality support for Northerners in their end of life journey.
The indicators will capture the value of volunteers' contribution to supporting patients and their families. Once developed, Hospice Palliative Care Ontario will roll the indicators out to all visiting programs across the province.
Hospice volunteer visitors play a key role in supporting patients and families at a difficult time of life. Every year, about 26,000 hours of service are received by more than 1,800 palliative patients through volunteer visiting programs across Northeastern Ontario.
The seven organizations participating in the pilot over the coming year are: Near North Palliative Care Network (Nipissing), Maison Vale Hospice (Sudbury/Manitoulin), Horizon Palliative Care (Cochrane), VON (Algoma and Espanola), Hospice West Parry Sound, Elliot Lake Palliative Care Program and Timiskaming Hospice Palliative Care.
Each year, the NE LHIN provides more than $600,000 to hospice/ palliative care providers for volunteer visiting programs. Their help includes relieving isolation, providing grief and loss support, and arranging advance care planning.
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