Our Mission
OutCare Foundation has championed palliative care for three decades. There is a voice inside telling us there is a better way, a voice advocating for us to choose our best path.
Why? Because we care.
Quality-of-care matters.
Quality-of-life matters.
The journey matters.
What is Palliative Care?
According to the World Health Organization, “palliative care is an approach that improves the quality-of-life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual.”
Palliative care assists with the physical, emotional and spiritual needs that surround the end of life. The patient and their family’s wishes determine their care plan. It can include pain and symptom management, grief counselling and caregiver support.
Offering palliative care earlier in a diagnosis most often greatly improves the end-of-life experience for the individual and their family. Palliative care can be delivered at home, in a hospice or in a hospital, depending on the needs of the patient and family.
The OutCare Foundation is dedicated to helping organizations in the palliative care network of Eastern Ontario. We believe that all patients and families should receive the care they need, in the setting of their choice, for their end-of-life journey.
Why In-Home
Palliative Care?
According to a Health Canada study:
- 75% of the population prefer to spend their final days in the comfort of their homes;
- Only 15% of people receive palliative specific home care in their final month of life; and,
- The number of people over the age of 80 will double by 2036.
Our region has only 62 residential hospice beds (in 8 locations) and one dedicated 31-bed sub-acute palliative care unit (Bruyère) for a total of 93 palliative care beds to serve a region of over 1.3 million. The current residential hospice model for palliative care does not have the capacity to handle the demand within our community.
The OutCare Foundation recognizes the need to deliver palliative services in-home to ease the burden on the families and on the healthcare system. Our fundraising focus will support in-home palliative care programs provided by the hospices in the Champlain Health Region.
Why Support Palliative Care
Tragically, only an estimated 30% of Canadians who need palliative care can access it. Too many among us face end-of-life without the appropriate support and care to ensure quality of life. The impact of this lack of access is felt by family members as they struggle to locate appropriate help during this time of intense emotion. This added stress is often worsened by the fact that many are trying to maintain a balance in their life obligations such as work and daily family needs. Too often, family members are left with feelings of guilt and profound sadness when their loved one’s last moments are filled with pain and stress.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Palliative care helps to reduce pain and offer comfort. It provides support to the surviving family members.
What will it be like for you when your loved one dies? Will palliative care be there when you need it?
A Smart Investment
Investing in community-based palliative care is not only responsive to the needs and wishes of individuals and their families, it makes good business sense. This chart illustrates the daily costs of palliative care in different settings.
Our vision is for everyone to have access to quality palliative care and supports at the time they need them most. Join us in making a difference!
An overwhelming 90% of us will need palliative care one day.
Resources
Find online palliative care resources and learn more about palliative care in our community.
