Changes to end-of-life care during COVID-19
By Jenn Watt
For
those needing end-of-life and palliative care, necessary precautions
have changed how services are offered and what opportunities for
connection with family and friends will be like.
those needing end-of-life and palliative care, necessary precautions
have changed how services are offered and what opportunities for
connection with family and friends will be like.
Limits on visitors
to the palliative care units, the addition of personal protective
equipment, increased usage of videoconferencing technology and changes
to at-home hospice services have all been implemented by Haliburton
Highlands Health Services.
to the palliative care units, the addition of personal protective
equipment, increased usage of videoconferencing technology and changes
to at-home hospice services have all been implemented by Haliburton
Highlands Health Services.
The goal is to find a balance between the
necessity of human connection during one of the most important parts of
life, and observing the protocols to control the spread of a deadly
virus.
Following the advice of the chief medical officer of health
for Ontario issued on March 13, HHHS limited access to long-term care
and acute care, which includes its two palliative care beds, to
essential visitors only “in order to reduce the risk of transmission of
COVID-19 to vulnerable residents and patients,” Stephanie MacLaren, VP
of community programs at HHHS, said via email.
This means only one
person can visit with critical or end-of-life patients or residents at a
time. That visitor must also be screened for COVID-19 and must wear
full personal protective equipment. They can visit only the patient they
are supporting.
necessity of human connection during one of the most important parts of
life, and observing the protocols to control the spread of a deadly
virus.
Following the advice of the chief medical officer of health
for Ontario issued on March 13, HHHS limited access to long-term care
and acute care, which includes its two palliative care beds, to
essential visitors only “in order to reduce the risk of transmission of
COVID-19 to vulnerable residents and patients,” Stephanie MacLaren, VP
of community programs at HHHS, said via email.
This means only one
person can visit with critical or end-of-life patients or residents at a
time. That visitor must also be screened for COVID-19 and must wear
full personal protective equipment. They can visit only the patient they
are supporting.
“We recognize how difficult this is for family of
loved ones facing end-of-life,” said HHHS president and CEO Carolyn
Plummer by email. “It was not an easy decision to make but we have to be
diligent in ensuring we are doing all we can to prevent the spread of
COVID-19. Like other hospitals across the country, we have taken extra
steps to ensure that we have enhanced our capacity to offer virtual
visits to families – either through phone, or videoconferencing. We
realize this is not the same as visiting in person.”
On average, about eight patients are admitted per month to the palliative care beds.
The current policy of only one visitor at a time does not change when death is imminent.
loved ones facing end-of-life,” said HHHS president and CEO Carolyn
Plummer by email. “It was not an easy decision to make but we have to be
diligent in ensuring we are doing all we can to prevent the spread of
COVID-19. Like other hospitals across the country, we have taken extra
steps to ensure that we have enhanced our capacity to offer virtual
visits to families – either through phone, or videoconferencing. We
realize this is not the same as visiting in person.”
On average, about eight patients are admitted per month to the palliative care beds.
The current policy of only one visitor at a time does not change when death is imminent.
HHHS also runs the community’s hospice program, which in the 2019-2020 year provided 93 people with support from volunteers.
During
the pandemic, volunteers are offering their support virtually and
professional staff continue to visit homes to provide care.
During
the pandemic, volunteers are offering their support virtually and
professional staff continue to visit homes to provide care.
“Central
East Home and Community Care continues to provide personal support
workers, nursing staff and other health-care professionals to support
palliation in the home,” MacLaren said. “Local physicians remain
stalwart in their commitment to this valuable and necessary work and our
HHHS palliative care nurse navigator and social worker remain very
active ensuring that our community clients’ and families’ needs are
being met in the home and that the whole care team is working together.
The use of personal protective equipment and limitation of numbers
gathering would apply in all instances of home visits from HHHS staff.”
East Home and Community Care continues to provide personal support
workers, nursing staff and other health-care professionals to support
palliation in the home,” MacLaren said. “Local physicians remain
stalwart in their commitment to this valuable and necessary work and our
HHHS palliative care nurse navigator and social worker remain very
active ensuring that our community clients’ and families’ needs are
being met in the home and that the whole care team is working together.
The use of personal protective equipment and limitation of numbers
gathering would apply in all instances of home visits from HHHS staff.”
Last year, 208 people were supported by the Palliative Care Community Team.
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