Palliative Care
Palliative care is an approach to care which aims to improve the quality of life of the patient (adults and children), their family, and their support system. A palliative approach to care is a holistic approach which aims to prevent and relieve suffering by providing physical, psychosocial, spiritual and practical support.
Palliative care is appropriate for any individual and/or family living with a life-limiting illness due to any diagnosis, with any prognosis, regardless of age. Palliative care is an approach to care and not a specific place or location. A palliative approach may co-exist with and enhance therapy of a disease, or it may become the total focus of care.
On This Page:
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Advance Care Planning
- Health Care Directives
- Psychosocial and Spiritual Care
- Financial assistance programs offered by the Government of Canada
Frequently Asked Questions
Palliative care is one element within the continuum of care and is available in any care setting including in the community, in a hospital or acute care setting, a personal care home/long term care home, or any other health care facility. Each health region in Manitoba has a palliative care program. For more information on the services and supports available in your health region, please visit the links below:
Pediatric palliative care is recognized as closely related to adult palliative care. It is the total care of infants, children and adolescents who are facing life-limiting or life-threatening illness, and also giving support to their families and their care providers.
Care may begin when a health condition is diagnosed and continues regardless of whether or not the individual receives treatment directed at the disease. The WRHA Pediatric Palliative Care Program supports care throughout Manitoba and portions of Nunavut and Northwestern Ontario. Consultative support is available to primary care and specialty care providers for comprehensive pediatric palliative care including but not limited to goals of care discussions, symptom management, and approaches to bereavement care. There is a strong commitment to facilitating and supporting care in the place of the family’s choosing. Pediatric Palliative Care providers are also integral to perinatal palliative care for the inter- and intra-professional coordination of obstetrical and newborn care when there is an antenatal diagnosis of a condition considered to be life-limiting in early infancy.
Requests for engagement of Pediatric Palliative Care may be made by a patient or family’s health care provider through the WRHA Palliative Care Program or 24-hour access through Health Sciences Centre paging at (204) 787-2071.
The Palliative Care Drug Access Program (PCDAP) provides deductible-free medication coverage for individuals who choose to remain at home for the final days of their life. Manitoba Health already covers the costs of medications for individuals who are in hospital or a personal care home, so the PCDAP ensures that the same cost-free coverage is available to those who reside at home in their final days.
The PCDAP is administered through Manitoba Health and includes the costs of all eligible medications prescribed by an eligible health care provider. Individuals enrolled in the program will not be charged for their prescribed medications when filling their prescriptions at the pharmacy of their choice. For more information on the PCDAP speak to your health care provider about eligibility or contact your regional palliative care program.
The program is open to residents of Manitoba with a current Manitoba Health registration number. When an eligible health care provider makes a palliative diagnosis, an application form must be completed and signed by the patient (or guardian) and their health care provider. The health care provider will then send the completed application form to the palliative care team in the local regional health authority. If the patient is eligible for coverage, the form will be forwarded to Manitoba Health for registration.
Application forms are available to eligible providers through the palliative care team at the regional health authority. The patient or guardian will receive notification about acceptance into the program from their eligible health care provider or palliative care team. For more information, please visit: Palliative Care Drug Access Program
Advance Care Planning
Advance care planning (ACP) is a reflective process that allows you to reflect on your values, beliefs and wishes for care. ACP often includes conversations with family and friends to let them know your future health and personal care wishes in case you become unable to speak for yourself. ACP may also include writing down your wishes and talking with healthcare providers and financial or legal professionals.
The National Advance Care Planning Task Group Speak Up Campaign website contains information to help people with ACP. For more information, please visit their website: Advance Care Planning Canada.
Several Regional Health Authorities have developed their own information pages and tools to help you with all aspects of advance care planning. Please visit the following links for more information:
- Interlake-Eastern
- Northern Health Region
- Prairie Mountain Health
- Southern Health-Santé Sud
- Winnipeg Regional Health Authority
- The Canadian Virtual Hospice Coming Full Circle document
Health Care Directives
A health care directive, also known as a living will, is part of advance care planning. As a Manitoba citizen, you have the right to accept or refuse medical treatment at any time. The Health Care Directives Act allows you to express your wishes about the amount and type of health care and treatment you want to receive should you become unable to speak or otherwise communicate this yourself. It also allows you to give another person the power to make medical decisions for you should you ever be unable to make them yourself.
For more information about health care directives, including sample forms, please visit: Health Care Directives in Manitoba.
Psychosocial and Spiritual Care
When someone becomes seriously ill, it usually starts an intense process of medical testing and therapy with treatments that may involve some degree of pain and stress. Understandably, each phase of a major illness has emotional and psychological effects.
Active treatments may bring about troubling physical side effects, perhaps with no certainty of a cure. Throughout these periods, declining physical function, changes in family and social roles, increasing dependence on the health-care system as well as the threat of death are all sources of psychological emotional and/or spiritual distress.
Most people who are told they have an advanced illness will experience periods of anxiety, sadness and grief, and anticipation of loss and death. These can all be considered part of a normal adjustment process, albeit a difficult one. For many individuals and families facing serious illness, however, these emotions can become quite overwhelming and develop into difficulties of their own. Feelings of depression or anxiety are common among those facing serious illness as well as their families. It is important to recognize these feelings and seek resources and supports.
Support and assistance are available for you and/or your loved one. The information and websites below are good places to start and contain contact information for a variety of services and resources that can help.
Additional Resources
Canadian Virtual Hospice
A comprehensive website devoted to all aspects of end-of-life care. The website features a section on emotional health and how to access professional help when experiencing stress, depression and anxiety. Additional resources from the Canadian Virtual Hospice include:
Family Caregiving for People at the End of Life
A useful resource for caregivers coping with the stress associated with caring for a loved one.
Palliative Manitoba
Palliative Manitoba is another resource for individuals, families and caregivers, who provide programs, services, education and information.
The Canadian Mental Health Association
This website has information and resources about stress and mental health challenges – both general information and specific information related to grief.
The Canadian Association of Psychology
An online fact sheet is available with information on psychological distress and coping with advanced illnesses/end of life, and discusses psychological treatment and support.
Strengthening a Palliative Approach in Long Term
This website has information on a palliative approach to care in long-term care focusing on providing personalized, high-quality care for residents living in long term care. This website includes a resource library where individuals can filter resources for families/caregivers.
Financial assistance programs offered by the Government of Canada
The Government of Canada offers and administers several funding programs available to Canadians caring for a critically ill family member or require additional assistance following the death of a loved one. For information or an application package, please contact a Service Canada Centre or follow the links provided below:
Federal Benefits for Parents of Critically Ill Children
Available for eligible parents who have to be away from work to provide care or support for a critically ill or injured child.
www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/caregiving.html
EI Compassionate Care Benefits
The program provides Employment Insurance (EI) benefits to people who have to be away from work temporarily to provide care or support to a family member who is gravely ill and who has a significant risk of death.
www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/caregiving.html
Service Canada Centre
Federal Benefits following a death
Information from the Government of Canada website regarding resources that can help you when someone passes away:
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/life-events/death.html
