Ontario Expanding Access to Palliative Care in Mississauga

New hospice beds in Mississauga will connect more people to end-of-life care close to home

MISSISSAUGA — The Ontario government is connecting more people in Mississauga to comfortable and dignified end-of-life care, close to their community and loved ones by adding two new hospice beds at Hospice Mississauga (for a total of 12). This is part of an expansion of 84 new adult hospice beds across the province, bringing the total number of publicly funded hospice beds in Ontario to 768.

“This is a significant milestone for our community, and for our new seniors’ campus of care in Mississauga—Lakeshore,” said Rudy Cuzzetto, MPP for Mississauga—Lakeshore. “By co-locating the first 12 residential hospice beds in Mississauga next to the Wellbrook Place long-term care homes and a new health services building, we’re ensuring that families and seniors will be able to access compassionate and dignified care close to home.”

“This is incredible news for Hospice Mississauga and our community,” said Kitrina Fex, Executive Director of Hospice Mississauga. “We are grateful for the additional funding that will bring much needed additional beds to Hospice Mississauga’s upcoming Hospice Centre. This funding will provide end-of-life services and will now reach even more people to provide compassionate care to our ever-growing and diverse community.”

This expansion is part of the province’s up to $19.75 million capital investment to add 84 new adult hospice beds across the province, bringing the total number of publicly funded hospice beds in Ontario to 768. When these 84 new beds are open, the province will provide an additional up to $16.03 million per year to support the operation of these beds.

“Our government is ensuring people and their families have access to the comprehensive care they need in their community, close to their loved ones, at every stage of life,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “By investing in the expansion of end-of-life care in communities across the province, we are taking another step to connect Ontarians to compassionate and specialized care closer to home.”

Once opened, these new adult hospice beds will bring the total number of new beds at Hospice Mississauga to 12.

As a next step, the ministry is working with Hospice Mississauga to bring the new beds into operation.

Through the Ontario government’s Your Health plan, the province is making it easier and faster for people of all ages to connect to the care they need, where and when they need it. This includes investing up to $147.4 million over three years to expand access to palliative care services, including increasing funding by 45 per cent for all hospice beds across the province, with additional increases for hospice beds in smaller sites of six beds or less.

QUICK FACTS

  • Palliative care, which includes end-of-life care, can begin as early as the diagnosis of a serious illness and focuses on improving the quality of each individual’s life. This integrated form of care ensures people can access the support they need when facing illness, death, grief, and/or bereavement.
  • The Ontario Palliative Care Network (OPCN), led by Ontario Health, is a partnership of health service providers (including hospices, long-term care homes, hospitals and others), community and social support service organizations, health system planners, Ontario Health Teams, and patient and family/care partner advisors, formed to develop a coordinated, standardized approach to palliative care.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES