Calgary homelessness groups call for palliative care options for vulnerable population

CALGARY (660 NEWS) – A network of homeless-serving organizations in Calgary is highlighting that there needs to be more palliative care options for those experiencing homelessness in the city.

The most recent data shows over 2,900 people are experiencing homelessness in Calgary, with over 5,700 without a home in Alberta.

“It’s really hard to address your health without a home and I think now, more than ever, what you see is an appetite from Canadians right across the board to really look at these social issues and really question, ‘What does a new normal need to look like?’ because there’s nothing normal about a person passing away in a shelter,” said Calgary Homeless Foundation (CHF) Vice President Matt Nomura.

The HomeSpace Society says right now, there are about three or four beds available specifically for the homeless population dealing with drug addictions or mental health issues.

“Which is absolutely not enough to serve the demand,” said communications advisor Emily Campbell.

Campbell further explains this specific population has very limited options when it comes to their end-of-life care.

“(For example,) you have an alcohol addiction and you’re forced to go into a regular hospice. Those hospices aren’t necessarily equipped to deal with somebody who also has an addiction,” she said.

Other options include the hospital, which again Campbell says aren’t always equipped to handle the intricacies of helping someone with complex health needs when it comes to mental wellness or addiction issues.

“The only other place is the street if you don’t have access to dedicated palliative care,” she said.

Troy Speechly with Murray’s House says with over 2,000 people being counted as homeless, more services are needed than are currently available.

“Palliative care at the point of end-of-life is super essential,” he said.

Speechly provides healthcare to residents and has also worked with Calgary Allied Mobile Palliative Program (CAMPP) to ensure homeless Calgarians have access to palliative care.

“Just having someone to kind of connect with them and provide a little bit more details of what’s going on and then make sure that they have, you know, what their end-of-life care looks like to them as well,” he said.

Currently, Campbell says CAMPP will connect those who don’t have a place to call home with either Alpha House or the SHARP Foundation, which have been running the limited number of palliative care beds out of HomeSpace buildings for the past few years.

“HomeSpace is currently renovating a lodging house in Forest Lawn and this would be an ideal place to start a dedicated palliative unit you know where there would be 24/7 healthcare available (with) nurses and doctors coming to visit as well,” she said.

Nomura says the CHF is very familiar with this project and once construction and renovations are complete they would advocate for operational dollars on behalf of the Sharp Foundation.

“It’s much needed I think that homelessness here in our city is you know still at the forefront of a social issue that has yet to be solved,” he said, adding this issue needs to be tackled collaboratively.

“Behind the scenes, the funding for operational programming is provided and so that’s kind of our role in this what we would do is we take a look at these types of service program designs and then try to find ways to fund the programming within.”