The decision to enter hospice palliative care may be a difficult step for a patient and their family. However, there are a number of supports and services that are available for Albertans at each point of their journey.

For example, in Alberta, you often have a choice where you would like to receive end of life care.

These options might include

• your own home
• a hospital
• a free-standing hospice
• a long-term care centre or supported living setting
• an assisted living facility or group home

Talk with your health care team and family to determine what will work best for you at any given time.

Accessing hospice palliative care services in Alberta depends on the area in which you live. Here’s a guide to help.

North Zone:

The North Zone is essentially the area north of Edmonton, including some areas to the southwest of the city.

1. Call 1-855-371-4122 to find out what palliative care services are in your North Zone community.

2. Talk to your doctor or health care provider to access hospice care in a hospital or hospice. They will usually need to make a referral for you.

3. You will need a referral for services such as the hospice beds in Grande Prairie’s Points West Living Hospice . Call 780-357-5700 for more information.

 

Edmonton Zone:

The Edmonton Zone includes the city of Edmonton and the areas south to Thorsby, east to Fort Saskatchewan, and west to Evansburg.

1. Call 780-496-1300 to learn more aboutpalliative home care in the Edmonton Zone.

2. Ask your doctor for a referral to the in-hospital Palliative Care Consult Service.

3. For all other palliative services in Edmonton zone, you will need to ask your doctor to complete a referral.

 

Central Zone:

The Central Zone is essentially the area which lays between Edmonton to Calgary, east to west.

1. For palliative home care, or access to hospice care in a facility, you will need to ask your doctor to complete a referral. For more information, you can call 1-855-371-4122.

2. People dealing with end of life issues, grief, and loss of a loved one can get support and counselling through various services. Call 403-343-4832 for more information.

3. There are a number of hospice groups in the Central Zone that support hospice palliative care with services in various settings. To find the community based hospice closest to you, please use the AHPCA online Resource Directory.

 

Calgary Zone:

The Calgary Zone includes the city of Calgary, and the area north to Didsbury, south to Claresholm, west to Lake Louise, and east to Gleichen.

The following information for the Calgary Zone is from MyHealth.Alberta .

Palliative Care Consult Teams are available to give expert advice for complex issues in all settings of care in the Calgary Zone. Doctor and nurse specialists, and sometimes other health care professionals such as social workers, are members of these teams.

In the City of Calgary, there is a Palliative Care Consult Team that serves:

1. each hospital
2. Tom Baker Cancer Center
3. Home Care
4. Continuing Care and Supportive Living sites

You need a referral from a health care professional to be seen by a Palliative Care Consult Team. You can tell your health care team you would like a referral to the Palliative Care Consult Service. They will make this referral for you if needed

If you live in Calgary: Ask your family doctor or health care provider to refer you to general home care. Or you can call 403-943-1920 to refer yourself for general home care. Your home care team will refer you to palliative home care and/or the Palliative Care Consult Service (urban) if needed.

If you live outside of Calgary: Ask your family doctor or health care provider to refer you to home care. Your doctor or the home care team (with your doctor’s approval) will refer you to the Rural Palliative Care Consult Service if needed.

Residential Hospices in Calgary Zone: The Calgary Zone has 7 community residential hospices. They provide palliative care 24/7 in a home-like setting to people with life-limiting illnesses. The goals of care are focused on comfort and quality of life.

(You can find these on the AHPCA online Resource Directory)

Tell your health care provider you would like to know more about hospice or ask for a Calgary Zone hospice brochure. You may also call the Palliative Care Consult Service at 403-944-2304.

 

South Zone:

The South Zone includes areas south from Oyen, Bassano, Brooks, and Fort MacLeod.

1. The Symptom Control and Palliative Care Community Liaison Program is responsible for arranging palliative care services in the South Zone. Please ask your family doctor to make a referral for you to this program.
2. All other palliative care services are accessible through a referral by your family doctor.

3. For more information you can also call 403-388-6380 or (toll free) 1- 866-388-6380.

 

For more information about hospice palliative care services in Alberta, check out the AHPCA online Resource Directory, or call us at 403.206.9938.