OWEN SOUND – MPP Bill Walker, Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound visited Chapman House in Owen Sound last week to announce one-time COVID-19 funding of $340,000 to assist the Residential Hospice of Grey Bruce with addressing shortfalls experienced during the pandemic.
“I am pleased to provide COVID-19 funding in support of the staff and volunteers at Chapman House and sincerely applaud them for the exceptional palliative and end-of-life care they provided during the pandemic to people in their greatest time of need and will continue to provide in the future,” said Walker.
Janet Fairbridge, executive director of Residential Hospice of Grey Bruce said, “We are very grateful that the government has recognized and addressed the unique financial pressures for hospices created by the COVID-19 pandemic. These funds will help with increased staffing costs and infection protection and control measures that have impacted our budget. We are working through our provincial association, Hospice Palliative Care Ontario, to create a more sustainable funding model for hospices to ensure this much needed and highly valued service is available in communities across Ontario.”
Hospices in the province receive approximately 50 per cent of their operating funds from the government, which means every year, half of operating budgets must be covered by local donors.
“As always, donors in Grey and Bruce are responding favourably to our current year end campaign. This, too, is helping ensure continued delivery of hospice palliative care services at Chapman House, at no cost to the resident or their family. On behalf of the residents, families, volunteers, and staff at Residential Hospice of Grey Bruce, thank you to all the donors in our community for your continued support,” added Fairbridge.
Residential Hospice of Grey Bruce operates Chapman House, an eight-bed hospice that was built for exceptional palliative care. The hospice is staffed with professionals of many disciplines, 24 hours per day, seven days a week, and is a center of expertise with a multi-disciplinary team providing compassionate, dignified, resident-centered care to individuals with progressive, life-limiting illnesses, empowering them to live well with dying.
