Formation of the Society
The Tri-County Hospice Society was formed on 18 May, 2004, by nine founding members:
- Shirley Hubbard, Chair
- Bruce Johnson, Co-Chair
- Carmen Phinney, Secretary
- Dr. Al Legere
- Iris Richards
- Eileen Nickerson
- Holly Campbell
- Brian Noble
- Laura Charlton.
The first meeting of the Society was held at the Yarmouth Regional Hospital and the subject of this meeting centered around the Vision of the Society. It became clear that the members wanted to create an end-of-life setting that would provide both comfort for the family and the person whose life was ending.
The goal was to have designated Hospice Care beds to support the unique needs of the terminally ill. Options under consideration included a Hospice Care unit located within the Yarmouth Regional Hospital, a Hospice Care unit located within an existing Nursing Home, or a free-standing Hospice Care unit. During the following seventeen years the Society has endeavored to achieve this goal.
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Initial Accomplishments
The Society, in the first decade with the help of generous donors, was able to purchase pain pumps for use by both in-patients within the Yarmouth Regional Hospital, and for those at the end-of-life at home under the care of the VON.
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Evaluation of Hospice Care Options
Discussions with representatives of the Department of Health and Wellness, and local Nursing Homes, were not able to identify policies or procedures by which a Hospice Care unit could be located within an existing Nursing Home. Correspondence to this effect was received from the Department of Health and Wellness in March 2015, and, on this basis, the option was not investigated further.
The option of a free-standing Hospice Care unit, either through purchase and renovation of an existing building, or through a new build, was determined to be beyond the financial capability of the Society. This option was therefore eliminated in late 2017, and the Society focused efforts to create a Hospice Care unit within the Yarmouth Regional Hospital.
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Initial Success
Although at times members began to question if the goal of the Society would become a reality, there was progress, as more and more of the public became aware of the essential need for Hospice Care.
The general policy of the Yarmouth Regional Hospital was that very ill patients were admitted and randomly assigned rooms throughout the hospital, and if they were diagnosed as terminally ill, they would remain there until end-of-life. In 2017, the Society purchased special chairs and folding beds that could be moved from room to room to help the affected families. A family room, furnished by the Society, on the third floor was physically separated from the end-of-life patient rooms, and therefore still failed to meet the goals of the Society. As a result, there was still no systematic plan for in-hospital end-of-life Hospice Care.
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Final Success
The Society’s efforts to secure a Hospice Care unit within the Yarmouth Regional Hospital continued, and in July 2019, approval was granted by the Nova Scotia Health Authority to secure seven beds on 4 North at the Yarmouth Regional Hospital and to proceed with the necessary renovation required to meet standards. The projected budget for the initiative was $107,000.
Mission and Vision Statements of the Yarmouth Regional Hospice Society
Critical Partners Necessary to Fulfill the Mission and Vision Goals of the Society
It is a privilege of the Society to support the following organizations in enabling regional Hospice Care:
- Nova Scotia Health
- Yarmouth Regional Hospital
- Yarmouth Hospital Foundation
- Victoria Order of Nurses (VON)
