Death with dignity vital

We read Dr. Lawrence Clein’s viewpoint, Saskatchewan lacks palliative care (SP, Jan. 11) with great interest.

The mission of Prairie Hospice Society is to “ensure access to community-based end of life support and contribute to quality of life at end of life.” We advocate for quality hospice care in our community, and unequivocally agree with Dr. Clein that every person at the end of life would benefit from good palliative care to ensure they die in peace and with dignity.

The philosophy of the hospice movement is to provide opportunities for terminally ill persons to “live until they die.” We are committed to providing those opportunities by offering non-medical end of life support in Saskatoon.

We offer a program called Hospice Without Walls. We do not have a building with hospice beds. Rather, we have trained approximately 100 volunteers to bring non-medical services to our clients and their families in their homes. We complement the Palliative Home Care Program of the Saskatoon Health Region.

We are companions to our clients, and transport them to appointments or take them on simple outings to lift spirits. We can help with simple chores around the home — all designed to allow clients to stay in their familiar surroundings as long as possible. We provide much needed time off to 24/7 primary caregivers.

Most of our referrals come from the health region. The demand for palliative care in Saskatoon is great, and we try to respond to that need. We are supported entirely by grants, donations and fundraisers. All client service providers are volunteers — a remarkable cadre of compassionate people. Kathryn J. Ford, chair, board of directors, Prairie Hospice Society Inc.