More Help for Nova Scotians Who Need Palliative Care

Beginning today, March 1, more help is available to Nova Scotians facing an incurable illness. An increase in the amount of home support services palliative care patients can access will help them remain in their own homes in the last three months of their lives.

This increase is part of the province's Continuing Care Strategy.

"Nova Scotians who need palliative care, and their families and friends, are facing a very difficult time in their lives," said Chris d'Entremont, Minister of Health. "They need, and deserve, a level of support that improves the quality of their life and enables them to stay close to their loved ones."

Palliative care patients can now access about 200 hours of home-care services per month, for a total of 600 hours in the last three months of life. That is an increase of about 50 hours per month, or 150 hours over three months.

Increased entitlements will allow patients to access more concentrated home support services including nursing, personal care, home support, and respite support for families.

There are no fees for enhanced palliative home-care services.

This is the first phase of a three phase expansion of palliative home-care services across the province. Phase 1 focuses on improving the quality of patients' lives and providing the support they need to remain in their own homes. Phase 2 will focus on what medications will be covered under the program, and phase 3 will focus on the development of an integrated palliative care team that can most effectively respond to the needs of patients.

The enhanced provincial palliative home-care program is a model of a pilot project that currently exists in Colchester East Hants Health Authority, Cumberland Health Authority and Pictou County Health Authority.

To access palliative home-care services call 1-800-225-7225 (out of province 1-902-424-4288), any day of the week between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

The Continuing Care Strategy is a 10-year plan to enhance and expand Nova Scotia's continuing-care system. By building on community support, increasing local solutions, and ensuring care options are available when and where they are needed, the strategy aims to create a system that supports Nova Scotians in their desire to live well in a place they can call home.

For more information see the website at www.gov.ns.ca/health/ccs/ccs_strategy .