Team profiles :

Home Hospice North Lanark

At a Glance   

Region: Ontario

Setting: Rural

EAIP program principle(s): 

• Access to specialized healthcare services
• Access to social and community supports 
• Access to system navigation and support 

Implementation (new, spread, and/or expand):    

• New 

Team Profile  

The organization leading this initiative is Home Hospice North Lanark (HHNL). The collaborative team comprises representatives from HHNL, including nursing and interdisciplinary staff, an evaluation and measurement lead, an executive sponsor, and administrative support. Additional support comes from Hospice Palliative Care Ontario (knowledge experts) and community partners including Beth Donovan Hospice, Connect Well Community Health and the Mississippi River Health Alliance.

Community

• This initiative is located in Lanark County in Eastern Ontario.
• The region includes three larger towns and several rural hamlets and villages, with a population of around 70,000.
• Older adults in North Lanark, aged 55 to 90, represent the fastest-growing segment of the population in the county. Within the Lanark, Leeds & Grenville Ontario Health Team, 17.8% of the population is 65 or older.
• Many individuals living in North Lanark face challenges due to both a lack of transportation and limited access to high-speed internet, particularly the effects of social isolation.

Program Focus 

Program Description  

• HHNL provides palliative care and support services in clients' homes, including residential homes, long-term care facilities, retirement homes, and social housing settings. HHNL is implementing a Day Hospice program to provide early identification and support for palliative care individuals and their caregivers, mitigating risks of urgent emergency room visits and declines in condition through health and social service interventions. This weekly program, held in a friendly, social setting outside the home, offers participants the opportunity to connect with others, access complimentary therapies, and engage in life-enriching activities. Caregivers also receive support and respite. A registered nurse on site assists with system navigation, monitors client status, and ensures resource access to reduce acute care visits. The program fosters client independence, reduces social isolation, improves quality of life, ensures seamless transitions across palliative care services, and alleviates health system pressures by optimizing the use of healthcare resources.  

Implementation Approach: 

• Program Design and Community Engagement: HHNL will establish a comprehensive program model, design, and policy development framework, with ongoing community engagement.  
• Launch of Day Hospice Services: Will be implemented in a phased approach, offering Day Hospice services once a week for 3 hours starting in September 2024, with plans to expand to a full pilot and reassess in January 2025.  
• Evaluation: Following the pilot launch, HHNL will evaluate the program design, achievement of goals, client satisfaction, education and training needs, incident and risk management, location suitability, and potential for expansion in January 2025 
• Partner Engagement: HHNL has arranged space sharing for the day hospice program with Connect Well Community Health. The building has adequate parking, is accessible and the space is quiet. HHNL will engage existing and potential partners to assist with referrals, policy development, data collection, and donations in kind from donors, businesses, and volunteer artists and musicians for activities.