For immediate release
Hospice Halifax Shares Updated Plans with the Community
January 17, 2017 (Halifax) – Board members, staff and volunteers of Hospice Halifax shared updated draft design concepts for Halifax’s first hospice being created to provide end-of-life care and family support. Neighbours, supporters and other interested community members learned more about the proposed plans at a community engagement session yesterday at the Halifax Central Library.
“We appreciated the feedback we heard from the community, so we began to take a closer look at our plans to renovate the two existing buildings on Francklyn Street,” said Dr. Jane Henderson, Chair of Hospice Halifax Board of Directors. “After much careful thought and consideration, we learned that by the time we made the changes necessary to provide the physical, social and spiritual supports essential to hospice care, we would have lost the original character of the buildings and it would have been a lot more expensive. That’s why we’ve decided to build a new facility – it is a much more feasible option allowing us to maximize sustainability, energy efficiency, and quality of living space for people in our care and their families.”
The two vacant buildings located at 618 and 620 Francklyn Street will be replaced with a new facility comprised of a ten-bed, two story hospice on the campus of the Atlantic School of Theology. Quality of living space, energy efficiency and sustainability are central to the new building design concepts. Every effort will be made to incorporate materials from the existing structures into the new facility and discussions are underway with local organizations to reuse timbers and other materials from the buildings. Hospice is committed to a design appropriate to the neighbourhood.
Hospice Halifax will provide end of life care in a supportive, compassionate, and specialized home-like environment. Professional care providers allow residents and families to spend these precious days together. Hospice also helps individuals and families cope with grief and loss during the illness and after a loved one’s death. Residents will receive holistic, family-centred care while surrounded by the comforts of home.
“We appreciate the warm welcome and support we’ve received from the community, donors and many volunteers who are helping to make our plan to provide end-of-life care in a community-based, home-like environment, a reality,” said Wendy Fraser, CEO of Hospice Halifax. “We are providing an essential service to address the need for end-of-life care in a hospice that is in the community, by the community, and for the community.”
Hospice Halifax is making plans for a capital campaign to raise the funds necessary to help build the facility and appreciates the generous community support received so far.
About Hospice Halifax
Hospice Halifax (formerly known as the Hospice Society of Greater Halifax), established in 2001, is a non-sectarian, registered not-for-profit supporting anyone affected by life-limiting illness, death, grief or loss. Volunteers and community partners are at the heart of Hospice Halifax. For more information or to donate, visit www.hospicehalifax.ca or call 902.446.0929.
