SOSJ is in partnership with Bloom Group to build a new hospice in the downtown eastside serving Vancouver’s most marginalized citizens. The St John Hospice at May’s Place will be a 10,000 square-foot facility occupying the fourth floor of a new building. The first three floors will provide comprehensive medical, social welfare, and addiction services provided by Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (VCH). The floors above the hospice will provide social housing. The land is being donated by VCH and the developer is BC Housing. SOSJ is pledging $1.5M, distributed over four years, towards the creation of this $4M hospice project.

SOSJ is in partnership with North Shore Palliative Care Program providing a $175,000 pledge that will be distributed over two years. The ‘Because We Care Outpatient Clinic’ is attached to the North Shore Hospice and offers pain management and treatment of other symptoms for patients with life threatening illnesses. Its goal is to avoid patient treatment delays in the emergency department, the chemotherapy unit, and to reduce unnecessary hospital admissions. This clinic is very innovative and the first of its kind in BC. SOSJ’s sponsorship will be acknowledged with appropriate signage in the reception area.

The Irene Thomas Hospice is a 10-suite residence in Ladner, BC. The hospice is purpose-built to provide a home-like environment with as much privacy and comfort as possible. It offers 24-hour nursing care and support for individuals in the last weeks and months of life when care cannot be managed at home. An upgrade program is currently underway with SOSJ support.

Plans are underway to provide six bursaries set up for clinical leaders at UBC’s Purdy Pavilion to attend the Victoria Hospice training program. This initiative complements the recent upgrade to 4 rooms to accommodate those nearing end-of-life in a home-like environment.

SOSJ, in collaboration with the Victoria Commandery, is in discussions with Victoria Hospice in supporting the development of a new innovative18-bed hospice in showcasing palliative care best practices. Victoria Hospice is renowned for the delivery of exemplary care, training, and education programs for end-of-life services across Canada.

The objective of conducting an environmental scan is to identify current hospice and palliative care services throughout communities in British Columbia. This will assist SOSJ with strategic planning and prioritizing future projects and initiatives.

The Silverstone Care Centre is a new 128-bed residential care facility currently under construction by the Trellis Group. The plans include a dedicated 4-bed hospice unit. SOSJ has been involved in preliminary discussions with the local hospice society and Vancouver Coastal Health Authority. Due to potential legal issues related to the partnership between the Trellis Group and the not-for-profit organizations, this project is currently delayed.

The goal of the project is to establish a 4-bed hospice unit co-located with the Squamish Hospital and Hilltop House Residential Care Facility. SOSJ is currently working with Squamish Hospice Society and Vancouver Coastal Health Authority to finalize the details of the renovations and the financial commitment required.

BCHPCA will submit requests for grants to SOSJ Almoner Committee by March 2017. The committee will vet and make recommendations to the board in April 2017.