Choosing Supportive & Palliative Care Options

The palliative journey describes how people living with advancing illness and/or nearing end of life, and their family and caregivers receive care from the formal health-care system and other community support services.

Living with an advancing illness and new symptoms often require frequent visits to clinics, doctors’ offices, treatment centres, and may include stays in hospitals and other health care settings. Early discussions to explore the best setting to support your changing health care needs and choices are helpful.

Interior Health is committed to helping you and your family live well with advancing illness in your home community for as long as you wish. Most people prefer to remain in their home for as long as possible, including support to die at home if this is their choice. See more details below.

Learn more about caregiving for people living with an advancing illness

You may be living with an advancing illness for many years and experiencing changes in your health that require you to have more help and support to continue to stay at home. The health services that support you use a ‘palliative approach.’ Recall that the word ‘palliative’ does not mean imminently dying. Rather, it is intended to support your quality of life and manage your symptoms so that you can live well.

Explore more about Home and Community Care Services.

As your illness advances, your doctor or nurse practitioner will have serious illness conversations with you about your current condition and what the future holds. When you hear your life expectancy is likely to be six to 12 months, it is time to start actively planning where you want to receive palliative care services at the end of your life. Many people wish to remain and die at home, if possible. In British Columbia, home-based palliative care services are provided by nurses, care aides, social workers, rehabilitation therapists, respiratory therapists and community paramedics in your home.

You are eligible to receive home-based palliative care services if you:

• Have been diagnosed with a life-limiting illness and a life expectancy of six months or less

• Understand the philosophy of palliative care and are willing to accept and participate with this supportive approach to care that focuses on comfort

• Understand the serious nature of your illness and agree that resuscitation is not desired, and your doctor or nurse practitioner have discussed this with you and signed a Medical Order for Scope of Treatment (M1, M2 or M3 levels);

• Are registered with the BC Palliative Care Benefits (no charge for most medication, medical equipment, supplies and nursing care)

Speak with your doctor or nurse practitioner, home health nurse or other health professional to start this conversation about how to best support you if you wish to die at home.

Interior Health is fortunate to have many hospice societies and organizations within Interior Health. Hospice societies and associations offer invaluable services to their local communities including volunteer support, grief counselling, advance care planning workshops, and much, much more. Here is a list of the hospice organizations within our health care region.

You can also check online or in your local phone book to identify the closest Hospice Society or Association to you. It is never too early to contact hospice for information, education and support throughout the palliative journey, or in any setting of care.

Hospice Societies and Associations within the Interior Health Region

Note: an * indicates that the website is not accessible on Internet Explorer. 

Print the list of hospice partners