As COVID -19 becomes the norm in current days, there are significant challenges that hospices have been facing in delivering care to those nearing end of life and the community.

This fund will help the BCHPCA in providing support systems for hospices in BC around the areas of:

  1. Grief and bereavement services to support family members and loved ones who may have difficulty grieving the death of someone from COVID-19 and ensuring the hospice workers are able to tap into these type of services as well.
  2. Accessing personal protective equipment (PPE) due to shortages related to decreases and the funds to provide these types of equipment to staff. Currently, home visits have decreased tremendously due to health regulations, but hospice societies that are providing care in facilities are in need of funding and training of PPE (surgical masks, face shields and goggles, and medical-grade gloves).
  3. Ensure the availability of both public and professional education.  COVID-19 pandemic emphasized the importance of Advance Care Planning (ACP), and the need to discuss healthcare wishes with family and healthcare professionals. The overall concept of ACP should be promoted to the general population but it is also important to illustrate why this is important in the context of COVID-19.
  4. And finally, BCHPCA will provide guidance and a platform for associated procedures and processes that hospice providers can follow during time of isolation and COVID- 19 to further aid within their practices.

For more information on what BC Hospice Palaltiive Care Association is doing, please visit our page and become a member.