Organization advocates for more palliative care beds in N.S.

When Andrea Weagle and her family sat down to discuss her father's deteriorating health in March, they decided end-of-life care would be the most comforting option for him. 

She contacted Fishermen's Memorial Hospital in nearby Lunenburg, N.S., where the province had announced a palliative care unit with five beds in 2021. 

But Weagle said her father, who lived in Bridgewater, could not be admitted due to a lack of staff in that hospice area.

Her dad, Ernest Bolivar, spent his last several days receiving end-of-life care in the emergency department of South Shore Regional Hospital in Bridgewater before being transferred to a private room eight hours before his passing. While in the ER, Weagle and her sister had to stay the night with limited overnight facilities available. 

Marlene Wheatley, vice-chair of the South Shore Hospice Palliative Care Society, says cases like that of Weagle's father are why her organization is advocating for more end-of-life beds in the province.

Weagle, who is a nurse, said while staff in Bridgewater did a good job caring for her dad, having access to a palliative care room would have made her family's already difficult situation a little more comfortable.

'Important to advocate'

She said palliative care rooms are designed with the patient's family members in mind. They are private, usually larger and have amenities to accommodate overnight stays, such as a bathroom, fridge and more electrical outlets. 

"I do feel it's important to advocate for these things because people do deserve to have a respectful and dignified end-of-life experience," Weagle said. "And I think the more we can do to make it a positive experience for people, I think is very important."

According to a report by the Canadian Cancer Society, Nova Scotia has the fewest palliative care beds in the Maritime provinces based on population. It has only 2.99 beds per 100,000 people while P.E.I. has 6.01 and New Brunswick has 4.27.

Comforting option in last days

Wheatley believes palliative care rooms give people the choice to spend their last days in an environment where they can be comforted, whether that is by playing soft music in the room, receiving visits from family and friends, or being held by a loved one. 

But she said that when palliative patients end up in an emergency room, they are not in the best environment. 

"The staff, of course, always do the best that they can do … but they are restricted by space, by availability of beds and then by the availability of the type of bed," she said. 

Wheatley's organization has contacted four area MLAs, the towns of Lunenburg and Bridgewater, and Premier Tim Houston to raise awareness about the issue.

As a daughter who had to go through the process, Weagle said the option of end-of-life care in a palliative care room might help people with the grieving process. 

"It often helps people move forward if they have a positive experience saying goodbye. It's all about showing love," she said.

5 beds in Fishermen's Memorial Hospital 

When asked about the five beds in Fishermen's Memorial Hospital, a Nova Scotia Health spokesperson wrote in an email that they are "committed to overcoming the challenges related to resources and staffing to ensure these specialized rooms can begin serving patients as intended."

Upon further inquiry, Nova Scotia Health did not confirm if the five rooms are currently operational, but wrote that there are palliative consult teams available to ensure "each patient receives comprehensive care tailored to their specific needs."