The city wants to support the New West Hospice Society’s efforts to turn its dream of providing a hospice into reality.
At its Jan. 27 meeting, council supported a motion from Coun. Ruby Campbell for the city to work with the New West Hospice Society and external partners to explore potential locations for hospice services. It will also advocate to the provincial government for the supports required to bring adequate and compassionate end-of-life care beds to New Westminster.
“My hope is a hospice can provide culturally appropriate care, respecting the traditions and values of all residents,” Campbell said. “Building a hospice in New Westminster is not only about filling a gap in services, it's about fostering community that we know New Westminster values, which includes dignity, care and support for individuals and families during one of life's most challenging moments.”
Campbell said council’s most recent strategic priorities plan identifies the city’s vision to be a vibrant, compassionate, resilient city where everyone can thrive.
“New Westminster Hospice Society is dedicated to building a grassroots hospice initiative from the community level up, based on the Compassionate City model, with a major underlying purpose to acknowledge and affirm that dying, death and grief are natural parts of the life cycle,” she said.
Campbell said the volunteer-based society has been working toward this vision for years.
“We know New Westminster, like many Canadian communities, has a growing aging population,” she said. “The demographic shift increases the need for specialized palliative care to ensure dignity and comfort for those in their final stages of life.”
Campbell said a hospice would provide the holistic compassion and family-centred care that hospices specialize in delivering.
“Hospices offer grief counselling, respite care, and resources to support families during and after loved ones pass. Caregivers benefit from having access to professional staff, reduce burnout and ensure their loved ones receive expert care,” she said. “They also allow families to stay close to loved ones during their final days.”
Mayor Patrick Johnstone said he appreciates the “incredible work” the hospice society has done over the last eight years in New West and its efforts to raise the conversation about death and dying and about hospice care. He said the society has made it clear it’s time to start talking about the next step in its journey: finding a space for a hospice.
“They're already starting their conversations with the province, around actually finding a place, finding a proper location for a space,” he said. “We'll wait to hear what from staff, how they feel they can support this.”
Johnstone said it’s beneficial for council and staff to be aware of the society’s need for space, as they’re involved in conversations within the community about new buildings and other potential spaces that may be available.
“I can't wait to hear back about the ways we can support this. But really, it's about us being aware and having our ear to the ground about the desire right now to start talking about the idea of having a hospice out of the dream category into the reality category,” he said. “So, I look forward to those conversations.”
The New West Hospice Society, founded in 2016, has a vision to work to build a community where death is no longer hidden or whispered about; where people know what to say and do to be supportive; where residents can die with dignity; and family and friends can grieve well.
Wendy Johnson, co-president of the New West Hospice Society, has been with the organization since its inception.
“During several community conversations with citizens in New Westminster in those early days, three goals were identified in terms of end-of-life care: to reach and support people at end of life wherever they chose to end their days; to normalize the conversation about death, dying grief and loss; and the highest priority was to establish a hospice residence in New Westminster,” she said. “We have continued to work on those goals through COVID and the uncertainties associated with it. We have been able to do that through partnerships with other organizations in New Westminster.”
Johnson said the society is grateful to Campbell for bringing this motion forward and welcomes the opportunity to work with the city to achieve this important goal on behalf of the people in New Westminster.
Through the years, the New West Hospice Society’s efforts have included teaming up with Century House to host the Dialogue on Death and Dying and holding the annual Riverwalk fundraising event. More details about the society can be found online.
