Hospice in Alberta fulfills terminally ill patients' final desires, providing happiness and significance
In the heart of St. Albert, the Last Wish program at Covenant Care Foyer Lacombe hospice is making a significant impact on the lives of its patients. This unique initiative, started by health-care staff, honours the final dreams of hospice residents, regardless of their size.
The program, which has been instrumental in improving morale within the hospice home, focuses on restoring dignity and giving patients a sense of choice, joy, meaning, and purpose in their final days. Every wish made through the Last Wish program involves the community in some way, strengthening the connection between patients, staff, and the wider community.
John Wintersgill, a patient with terminal Stage 4 cancer, is one of the many beneficiaries of this remarkable program. His wish is to have the grand piano at Foyer Lacombe tuned and fixed up, with his daughter playing Beethoven's Für Elise on it. The piano tuning and repair will take place on July 26, and Wintersgill is happy that the scratches on the piano will be buffed out.
Wishes requested by patients through the Last Wish program are as unique as each individual patient. Some have asked for significant events like a baptism in a tub, helicopter rides, or country music concerts, while others have requested simpler pleasures such as visits from animals, enjoying a favourite meal like liver and onions, or getting ear piercings.
The program's creation was a collaborative effort between registered nurse Fate Hurtada, chaplain Matthieu Coulombe, and other health-care staff. When a patient decides to make a wish through the Last Wish program, a call goes out on social media, rallying the community to support the patient's dream.
The Last Wish program aims to create lasting memories for patients and their families, and often results in a sense of peace for the residents. After a resident's wish is fulfilled, there is often a pattern where they die a few days later. Wintersgill, however, expressed his gratitude towards the Last Wish program, stating that he feels "so blessed" to be there.
The Last Wish program is independently funded and supported, with groups like the St Albert Sturgeon Hospice Association contributing to its success. It also receives financial support through the Covenant Foundation. The program's success has not gone unnoticed, and it will be presented at a palliative care conference this fall, aiming to inspire other hospices to adopt similar programs.
Matthieu Coulombe, one of the program's creators, stated that it takes a village to support individuals as they leave the world, just as it does when they enter it. The Last Wish program is a testament to this statement, bringing together the community to honour the final dreams of hospice residents and create a legacy of compassion and care.
[1] Covenant Care Foyer Lacombe Hospice's Last Wish Program
[2] St Albert Sturgeon Hospice Association
[3] Covenant Foundation
[4] Palliative Care Conference
- The Covenant Care Foyer Lacombe Hospice's Last Wish Program, a collaboration between healthcare staff, aims to promote health-and-wellness and mental-health by addressing the fitness-and-exercise, spiritual, and nutritional needs of hospice residents in their final days, with the goal of creating memorable experiences and fostering connections within the community.
- The Last Wish program's success is due in part to the support from various organizations, such as the St Albert Sturgeon Hospice Association, which donates funds, and the Covenant Foundation, which provides financial assistance.
- Achieving the diverse and personalized wishes by patients through the Last Wish program, whether it's tuning a grand piano, enjoying a favorite meal, or experiencing a country music concert, demonstrates a commitment to nutrition, health, and overall well-being, showing that these are essential components for maintaining quality of life, not just in life's beginnings, but also in its final moments.
