Montreal, May 8, — On the occasion of National Palliative Care Week , an association is formed between three community organizations in the greater Montreal region to facilitate the transition of respite and psychosocial support services for families whose child receiving palliative care is reaching adulthood.
The organizations Le Phare, Enfants et Familles , pediatric palliative care hospice, the Palliative Home-Care Society of Greater Montreal SSPAD , and the St-Raphael Palliative Care Home and Day Centre are implementing a two-year pilot project funded by the Appui for the caregivers to ensure a healthy introduction of teenagers of year-old to adult palliative care, with the aim of improving the quality of life for family caregivers.
The union of these three organizations marks the beginning of a great collaboration aimed to help Quebec families cross this bridge into adulthood and offering them a safety net. Starting in the summer of , families involved in this project in the greater Montreal area will be eligible for 12 hours per month of in-home respite care provided by SSPAD. The project will then evolve towards overnight respite care. I can finally hope for a better future for our children who benefit of services at Le Phare, as well as for their families.
Le Phare will play a key role in transitioning these teenagers and their families by facilitating access to this new program from the age of 16 and by training the teams of the other two organizations in the specificities of pediatric palliative care.
This collaboration will ensure a better continuum of services for family caregivers. The Palliative Home-Care Society of Greater Montreal will provide respite care to families, which is essential to their well-being and the balance of the family unit.
