South ShoreTwo out of five beds at the palliative care unit in Lunenburg, N.S., will open in January after years of waiting. ‘It’s a matter of finding a few more pieces to complete the team,’ says senior medical directorListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.Dr. Patricia Caldeira, hospice medical director at Fishermen’s Memorial Hospital, sits beside a new palliative care bed. (Nova Scotia Health)Two out of five beds at the palliative care unit at the hospital in Lunenburg, N.S., will open in January after years of waiting. David Henderson, the senior medical director for the integrated palliative care network at Nova Scotia Health, said he hopes the other beds will open later in February, when the rest of the staff are lined up.“In some ways we’ve got the hardest pieces already in place. It’s a matter of finding a few more pieces to complete the team,” said Henderson.He said he is not sure how many more people are needed to open the other three beds, since that has been “a moving target.”Henderson said for the two beds opening at Fishermen’s Memorial Hospital, there is a rotation of six family doctors that will alternate each week, and a team of nurses and care assistants.Additionally, a pharmacist who works in the hospital will dedicate some time to support the new unit, as well as volunteers from the South Shore Hospice Palliative Care Society, a local organization. The volunteers will give non-medical assistance, like helping patients and their families navigate their situation, connecting them to resources and providing them emotional support. Marlene Wheatley-Downe, the vice-chair of the South Shore Hospice Palliative Care Society, welcomes the announcement. (Zoom)Marlene Wheatley-Downe, the vice-chair of the palliative care society, said she is “very thrilled” about the announcement, and said it is a step in the right direction. “We realize that the announcement reflects a meaningful commitment by the government to increase palliative and hospice services,” she said. “We will continue to advocate for the rest of the beds opening.”She said her organization has been calling for more beds in the area for years, especially because demand is going up due to an aging population. However, she said even when the five beds open, it does not mean her organization’s work is done. The goal, according to Wheatley-Downe, would be to have another palliative care unit at the Queens General Hospital, or even a dedicated separate hospice for the South Shore. Delays due to staffing shortagesThe delay of the unit has had negative consequences for community members: people have lost loved ones in the emergency department and non-palliative hospital beds, or have been forced to seek care outside their communities. In its announcement, the health authority said Dr. Patricia Caldeira was hired earlier this year to be the hospice medical director. Nova Scotia Health told CBC News in November that it needed doctors, nurses and other staff to open the unit. It added that staffing the unit is “more complex than simply looking at the numbers.”Henderson said the health-care sector is already “short-staffed everywhere,” and is glad there are enough people to finally open, even if just partially. “Everybody’s thrilled that we’re finally being able to move forward. It’s been a long process, but a lot of hard work went into trying to make everything happen,” he said. MORE TOP STORIES:ABOUT THE AUTHORGiuliana is a journalist originally from Lima, Peru. She is interested in stories about rural Nova Scotia, science, the environment and more. If you have any story tips, you can reach her at giuliana.grillo.de.lambarri@cbc.ca.
Palliative care unit in Lunenburg to partially open in January
