Realizing the four priorities of the Close to Home Campaign for Hospice and End-of-life Care

Architectural drawing of the front facade of the Hospice.

Priority 1: Establish Saskatoon’s first free-standing, residential hospice

The Hospice at Glengarda was built by the community and for the community to serve the people of Saskatoon. Located at 301 Hilliard Street in Saskatoon’s east end, the Hospice at Glengarda provides professional medical care in a warm and comforting environment that feels as close to home as possible.

This former Ursuline Sisters residence was fully renovated including expansion by 2,400 square feet. Situated in a quiet residential neighbourhood with mature trees and a nearby church and park, the Hospice at Glengarda hosts fifteen bright and beautiful private rooms, each with its own private bathroom, shower, fireplace, television, and comfortable bed with lifts.

The entire facility was thoughtfully designed with resident rooms on main and second floors. Each floor also provides the comforts of living at home, including kitchens for preparing family meals, large tables for dining and other activities, laundry facilities for use by residents and their families, and cozy gathering-place living rooms with fireplaces. The Hospice also offers spaces for quiet rest and contemplation, creative-arts healing, and multi-faith worship. Finally, there also is easy access to outdoor shared spaces on all three floors.

The Hospice at Glengarda opened in January, 2021 and provides 24-hour care for people requiring full-time, hands-on care to help manage the last days or months of progressive illness or disease. Focused on delivering meticulous, holistic “whole-person” care, the Hospice seeks to address the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social needs of its residents and their loved ones.

If you feel you or your loved one would benefit from palliative services, including hospice care, please have a discussion with your present health care team. Any member of the care team, including physicians, home care or hospital nurses, or Client Patient Access Services (CPAS) coordinators can support a referral to the Palliative Care Program.

Main Floor living space at the Hospice.

Priority 2: Establish endowments that will continue St. Paul’s Hospital’s mission of compassionate care at the new hospice.

The Leslie and Irene Dubé Holistic Care Endowment helps fund the provision of art therapy, spiritual care, bereavement care and other holistic end-of-life care elements to those within the Hospice at Glengarda, as well as to patients and families facing end-of-life in their own homes. Good end-of-life care encompasses a holistic approach where the whole person is acknowledged with dignity and respect.

The Endowment supports a full contingent of holistic care staffing at the Hospice at Glengarda, including a Music Therapist, Creative Arts Coordinator, Life Enhancement Coordinator, and Spiritual Care Practitioners who bring comfort and wellbeing to Hospice residents and their families, and help them with the emotional, spiritual as well as physical challenges associated with end-of-life.

Some examples of compassionate holistic care provided at the Hospice include: creating a “card of memories” with a patient to send to a dear friend; vigil singing at bedsides and spiritual support; having a wide variety of art materials and bonding activities so children and grandchildren can co-create and play with their loved ones; co-writing and recording a song with a patient for both patient and family to enjoy; creating legacy videos; assistance with important family events or celebrations; helping patients re-connect with those they care about, or explore their desires to restore relationships; providing support in coping with dying and loss; and helping residents enjoy simple pleasures, like getting a haircut or a shave, or feeling the sun on their face. It’s these little touches that help patients and families to live fully in the moments they have.

A quiet and steadfast patient under our care described his wife as his ‘white rose’ to his ‘red rose’. Today, I watched her at his bedside, heartbroken to lose her husband, and as I handed her two perfect roses, one white and one red, she looked at me with tears in her eyes, and simply asked “how did you know?” Sometimes the little things can mean so much more than anyone could imagine, and that is why holistic care is so important to those facing end-of-life. It is a great privilege to work in health care and serve the needs of others.

- Monique Blom, Hospice at Glengarda Creative Arts Coordinator

Bishop Mark Hagemoen performing a Catholic blessing for the Hospice at Glengarda.

Priority 3: Enrich the skills of professional end-of-life caregivers and community members through education and training.

The Palliative Care Education Fund will enrich and increase the provision of end-of-life care throughout all sectors of health care by expanding the spectrum of competent, knowledgeable palliative care service providers, to be complemented by an aware, informed public.

The fund will: expand both the numbers and the competency of those working with palliative care patients, residents, clients and their families and loved ones; support and encourage the building of relationships and networks of care givers and the general public who are bound by familiarity and common knowledge and experiences in the field of palliative care; and educate the general public to both advocate for and utilize appropriate end-of-life services.

To date, the Palliative Care Education Fund has supported training and preparation of the Hospice at Glengarda staff under the management of Samaritan Place. Upcoming initiatives include providing care givers with access to specialized training, as well as extension of other supports for families and care givers. The fund will also assist in the delivery of public education events.

I’m grateful to have had good end-of-life care teachers and mentors, and want to ensure that kind of knowledge is provided to more care givers in our community.

- Dr. Vivian Walker, Palliative Care Medical Director and Palliative Care Education Fund Committee Member

Priority 4: Improve care and patient experience by renovating the Palliative Care Unit at St. Paul’s Hospital

St. Paul’s Hospital’s Palliative Care Unit has been delivering quality care to the people of Saskatchewan for more than 30 years. While long-term planning always also included creation of a hospice, the plan also included retaining St. Paul’s Hospital’s Palliative Care Unit to serve its important role in the delivery of acute medical palliative care.

Because we see maintaining this unit at our Hospital as vitally important, funds from the Close to Home campaign have supported crucial renovations to the unit that have improved work flow for nurses and care givers, freeing up their time for more focus on patient care. A new conference room with state-of-the art technology is now in place, allowing for distance education as well as liaison with families and loved ones who are at home.

Perhaps most importantly, renovations included the development of a large beautiful state-ofthe art spa room: “Patients uniformly tell us that the tub is good medicine,” says Dr. Viv Walker, Palliative Care Medical Director. “Many new patients tell our care providers they haven’t been able to get in a tub for some time, and once they do, the warmth and gentle massage they experience provides significant pain relief.” Spa room amenities include a deep spa tub, a ceiling lift track, and a beautiful digital screen that provides a “window view” onto tranquil scenery.

Our newly renovated Tub Room with virtual window brings a reprieve from the reality of illness for a short time by enabling patients to relax and ‘jet away’ to another environment, even if only for a short time.

- Nancy Brisebois, RN and Clinical Nurse Coordinator at St. Paul’s Hospital’s Palliative Care Unit

(l-r) Licensed Practical Nurse Tracy Judd, Palliative Care Unit Manager of Nursing Kerri Dolgopol and Registered Nurse Michelle Wensel showcase the new tub and digital screen at St. Paul’s Hospital.