Final Implementation blog:

Care Setting

"That I may die in the arms of my lover, surrounded by those who matter and in the sanctitude of my home . . ." (BF)

Is this not what many of us would wish for? Yes, probably, but it may not always be possible. When asked, almost 75% of Canadians would rather die at home than institutionally, but in reality, only about 25% of us actually do live out our wishes.

With proper EOL care for those who know they are at the end of life, dying at home should be a real possibility. And, it shouldn't be at the expense of the health and financial stability of their family and friends. In a compassionate society, who cares about its' citizens, we must strive harder to ensure that the setting of care at EOL is not stipulated by resources or by government (of any level), but rather it is decided by the choice of those dying and their family. Death in a hospital is not a bad thing if it is one's choice, but if it is not their choice, it is not the best thing. The resources must be in place to allow for this choice - home-based EOL care is only one alternative in an array of possibilities. Hospitals need to offer a specialized area for palliative care; hospices can be a wonderful alternative to death in the home; long-term facilities should be allocated (and funded for) beds for palliative care purposes, rather than the haphazard way it is offered now in these institutions where the patient often must leave their 'home' (particular floor of a LTC facility, or wing or ward) in order to receive the privacy required for dignity in death - they have earned the right.

The continuum of care from cure to comfort, from living to dying, from birth to death - it is the model of care that honours the human side of us all. It speaks to respect, dignity and compassion. It is our duty to provide it.