Publicly Funded and/or Private Palliative Care
At Aspen Care, we offer Palliative Care, (also known as end-of-life care), to patients who face life-limiting illnesses. Our goal with Palliative is to offer our clients the best possible quality of life right up until the end of life. Palliative care is a 24/7 hands-on job where we as caregivers must have access to as many resources as possible in order to provide the best possible care to clients. We work with different partners to help make every client and family feel as comfortable as possible. Our Aspen Care partners can include doctors, pharmacists, physiotherapists, psychologists, nutritionists, and most importantly Alberta Health Services.
Even as a private healthcare boutique, Alberta Health Services still plays a tremendous role in the care of private healthcare clients. If clients choose to sign up for both private and publicly funded healthcare, Alberta Health Services can offer doctor consultations and other forms of care. Clients can choose to opt out of certain private services, and fill those gaps with publicly funded care with Alberta Health Services. For more information on mixed private and publicly funded healthcare, please visit: https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/cc/Page15485.aspx
Some clients only wish to remain under private healthcare. However, there are certain scenarios where Alberta Health Services must still intervene within private care. In the last few months, Aspen Care has witnessed an increase in families or patients who are not complying with doctors orders and care plans. Non-compliance can be extremely challenging for caregivers, as we are constantly striving to create the best possible environment and offer comfort to our clients within palliative. When families or patients refuse to comply with prescriptions, or doctor’s orders, for the safety of our patients, we must call in Alberta Health Services for additional support. Non-compliance from families can also impede on the end-of-life care. This can increase the chance of removing patients from their home, and submitting them to hospice.
As nurses, and caregivers, our main focus is comfort and the best possible quality of life for our clients. Yet, we are liable for our patients, and carry a license. When patients or families do not comply, for your safety, it is our duty to report our concern to Alberta Health Services, and rely on our partners for assistance. It can be a challenging time for families, and we only want them to have the best possible experience during palliative care. If you have any questions or concerns regarding palliative care, please do not hesitate to contact us at Aspen Care. We love to offer our community advice on the various types of care offered privately and publicly. Call us at 403-990-3837.
