End-of-life group says more action needed in Canada

With an aging population the Quality End-of-Life Care Coalition of Canada (QELCCC) says the nation needs work with end-of-life care.

More than 259,000 Canadians die each year. Only a small portion of those who die receive hospice palliative care. With a rapidly aging population it is estimated that by 2026 annual deaths will increase to 330,000. By 2046 that number will be at 425,000 per year. "A decade has passed since the Quality End-of-Life Care Coalition of Canada (QELCCC) developed the Blueprint for Action, a working document setting out areas for action for end-of-life care in Canada,” explains Sharon Baxter, Executive Director, Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) in a press release. The QELCCC has released a report, 10 Years Later: A Progress Report on the Blueprint for Action, that measures the changes in end-of-life care during the past decade. The report shows some positive changes but more is still needed for Canadians. The group outlined their priorities for the next 10 years. Ensure all Canadians have access to high quality hospice palliative end-of-life care. Provide more support for family caregivers. Improve the quality and consistency of hospice palliative end-of-life care in Canada. Canadians should expect to receive high quality care in all parts of the country. Encourage Canadians to discuss and plan for end of life. Hospice palliative end-of-life care will not be a priority in our health care system until it is a priority for Canadians. On Thursday members of QELCCC gathered in Ottawa to launch the progress report. They believe that all Canadians deserve to face the last days of their life with dignity, free of pain, surrounded by their loved ones, in a setting of their choice.