Simcoe County councillors joined representatives from the Simcoe County Hospital Alliance (SCHA) on Monday morning at Hospice Huronia in Penetanguishene to mark the county’s nearly $500,000 investment to support local residential hospice services across the region.
The county says the funding is part of its five-year, $2.5-million commitment between 2021 to 2025 to support with community expansion and capital projects, along with infection prevention and control upgrades at regional hospice centres.
This year's allocation of was issued in the following amounts to SCHA partners:
- Matthews House Hospice — $177,609
- Hospice Simcoe — $139,656
- Hospice Georgian Triangle — $134,799
- Mariposa House Hospice — $96,336
The alliance was formed to look at regional planning and project capital needs across Simcoe County for area hospice centres. The group is comprised of representatives from Hospice Georgian Triangle in Collingwood, Hospice Huronia in Midland, Mariposa House Hospice in Orillia, Matthews House Hospice in Alliston, and Hospice Simcoe in Barrie.
From 2017 to 2019, the county also provided $1.5 million as part of its previous three-year commitment toward creating greater access.
Hospice palliative care aims to relieve suffering and improve the quality of living and dying. Residential hospices provide expert care to patients, families, and friends at one of the most vulnerable times in their lives.
“Hospice is a care area that requires attention and funding support. County council is pleased to lend a hand and to invest in building up residential hospice care to help ensure that our residents and their families receive the high quality of care they deserve at end of life," Simcoe County Warden Basil Clarke said in a news release.
“Capital funding for hospice residences is crucial – each hospice is a small, charitable organization that relies on donated and public funds to provide exceptional end-of-life care to residents and their families and friends. It means so much that the County of Simcoe recognizes the value of this care in each of our communities and is willing to support us with important capital projects that are necessary to ensure sustainability," said Mariposa House Hospice executive director Annalise Stenekes.
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