Just three years after Andy’s House palliative care facility in Port Carling opened its doors, its future appears to be in serious jeopardy.
Speaking in front of Township of Muskoka Lakes councillors, Donna Kearney, executive director of Hospice Muskoka (which operates Andy’s House), said the organization is facing a financial crisis.
“We have a funding agreement set to expire in March 2024. If those agreements are not renewed Hospice Muskoka risks closing,” said Kearney.
Currently, the government funds three of the available 10 beds, said Kearney, but only half of the staffing costs for those three beds.
“Picture a cup of coffee – they’re purchasing a third of the cup of coffee and they’re not purchasing the cup,” she said. “We need permanent and stable base funding.”
Donations to Hospice Muskoka are down some $311, 000 versus this time last year, she said, and Hospice is not on track to make their $1.2 million annual budget.
Kearney was in front of the councillors to request they send a motion to the province imploring them for funding to keep the facility afloat.
Andy’s House is currently staffed by two Nurse Practitioners (NP) but they are at risk of losing one of those two due to the financial struggles, says Keaney. The Hospice operates at 100 percent capacity and Kearney said it isn’t feasible for a single NP to be on call 24/7, as well as running the administrative and executive director aspects of the facility.
Keranrey said Muskoka’s population is older than the Ontario average. Hospice is becoming an increasingly popular option for end-of-life care, she said, and much less expensive than a hospital bed.
“Palliative care is an option that baby boomers are choosing,” she said. “The government of Ontario needs to understand that this is what people want. Hospitals are in the business of curative care and death has no cure.”
Council agreed unanimously to request more funding from the province. Bracebridge and Gravenhurst councils are also being asked to send similar requests.
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