How Should Alberta Improve Palliative and End-of-Life Care?
Official title: Palliative and end-of-life care engagement
Why This Matters
Most of us will face end-of-life care decisions—for ourselves or someone we love. This engagement shaped how Alberta spends $20 million on hospice care, pain management, and support for families. If you've ever watched a loved one struggle to get proper care in their final days, this matters.
What Could Change
$11 million in grants is now available for palliative care projects. Funding targets four areas: earlier access to care, training for healthcare workers, community hospice services, and research. Organizations can apply for grants to expand end-of-life services in their communities.
Key Issues
- How can Albertans get earlier access to palliative care?
- What education and training do healthcare providers need?
- How can community hospice services be strengthened?
- Where should research and innovation funding be directed?
What Happened
Virtual meetings were held between October 2020 and May 2021 with patients, families, healthcare providers, Indigenous health representatives, and community organizations. Findings were published in the final report on November 18, 2021. As a result, $11 million in one-time grant funding was allocated for palliative and end-of-life care initiatives.