Margaret Bahen Hospice in Newmarket is receiving $946,000 in provincial funding over two years to support end-of-life care, including bereavement support.
Sonya Murray, president and CEO of Better Living Health and Community Services , which oversees the hospice, said they are “extremely grateful” for the one-time funding.
“This necessary funding will go toward ensuring that we meet each resident’s and caregiver’s physical, emotional, and spiritual needs in a home-like environment,” she said in a news release. “This one-time funding will support us in continuing to provide individualized, high-quality and compassionate care to our residents and their families at end of life.”
The province said the funding would secure nursing, personal support and other patient services to the existing residential hospice beds on the site. The investment is part of the province’s overall planning for hospice funding, with the government investing $147.4 million over the next three years across Ontario for palliative care, the news release stated.
Newmarket-Aurora MPP Dawn Gallagher Murphy was on site for the announcement and said the government is committed to ensuring Ontarians receive care at every stage of their life.
“Together with health-system partners like Margaret Bahen Hospice, we are building a better, connected health-care system that is centred on the needs and experiences of patients, families and caregivers,” Gallagher Murphy said.
Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones said expanding end-of-live care is important to ensure patients can access those services closer to home.
“When people approach the end of their life, they deserve to know that they can remain in their community, near loved ones,” said Sylvia Jones,
The government said it plans to fund 23 new hospice beds over the next three years in hospices across the province to bring the health-system total to 503.
