As the only county in southwestern Ontario without a palliative care hospice, plans are moving forward on the eventual construction of a 10-bed facility to serve St. Thomas and Elgin county.
The two municipalities met last Tuesday with St. Joseph’s Health Care Society to advance the project which has already received funding from the province. It’s not a case of justifying the need for a hospice stresses Laura Sherwood, director of hospice partnerships.
Sherwood confirmed it was a good meeting dealing with how to continue to advance the 10-bed palliative care hospice project. One option, added Sherwood, would see the city donating land to house the hospice.
She says she realizes there are tight financial circumstances the city and county councils are dealing with.
Sherwood added, it has to be a two-way dialogue with the municipalities and the St. Joseph’s Health Care Society and what can the society bring to the table.
