The Palliative Care Wing
A message from Debbie Williams, Palliative Care Consult nurse with the palliative care program in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia:
Jonathan, this is a very challenging proposal for you, and we at the Aberdeen Palliative Care Society certainly appreciate your fundraising efforts. Donations and memorials all go to our palliative care society. With the funds from the society we are able to support and maintain clients in their homes. We do that by using the funds raised to assist families in accessing items such as hospital beds, oxygen concentrators, pain pumps, commodes, walkers, wheelchairs, and other various health aids. The Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) provides our hands on nursing care in the community, and on occasion we have accessed private nursing agencies to supplement care for our clients in the homes.
We have had community groups purchase items for us such as oxygen concentrators. Although there is a provincial program for oxygen, sometimes clients don't qualify. In these cases we will put our own concentrators in someone's home. Oxygen concentrators cost approximately $1000.00. In the past, the society has had to purchase expensive items such as pain pumps, which cost approximately $5000-6000. As this type of equipment needs regular maintenance, expenses for repair and replacement are costly.
The funds from the Society have also been used to help with education. We sometimes fund volunteers, nurses, etc to attend conferences or help with the cost of a course.
The Aberdeen Palliative Care Society relies totally on the generousity of others to help support the needs of the palliative care client and family. Thank you so much for all of your efforts and energy in helping the people of Pictou County.
Debbie Williams
Links:
http://www.moonlightweb.ca/nshpca/nshpca_awards.htm
www.pcha.nshealth.ca/aberdeen/default.htm -Hospital where the Palliative Care Wing exists
www.von.ca -The Nurses who care for the patients in the program
www.pcha.nshealth.ca/pictoucounty/newsandevents/mr_january12_2006.htm - Article on the opening of the Palliative Care Unit in Jan. 06.
