Plans to build two new Hospice Palliative Care Centres of Excellence in Niagara have taken a big step forward.
Walker Industries will be donating $1.5 million to Hospice Niagara to create the new centres in Fort Erie and Welland.
Each location would provide 10 private rooms for people and their families to spend quality time during the final stages of life.
Officials say Niagara is 'significantly underserved' when it comes to hospice bed capacity, with only three beds per 100,000 residents instead of the 7 - 10 beds per 100,000 recommended by the Auditor General.
Hospice Niagara Executive Director Carol Nagy says, "Expansion of these much needed services could not be more timely considering the strain our healthcare system has experienced in recent years, given our growing number of seniors living in Niagara and our need to end hallway medicine. We hope our community stands with us in supporting expansion of compassionate and exceptional care, to everyone, everywhere in Niagara."
Hospice Niagara is still working on getting full Ministry of Health approval to build the sites, but they expect construction will begin fall of 2021 and the centres will open in late 2023.
Hospice Niagara provides end of life care at no cost to the patient or their family as well as bereavement programs to help residents cope with a loss.