Canadians deserve better end-of-life care than we have now

By Lethbridge Herald on March 5, 2022.

Editor:

As information was brought forward by the media of the treatment of Canada’s Indigenous children at the residential schools, Canadians were horrified to learn that such a thing could happen in a country like ours. 

We non-Indigenous people in the modern age were not aware and we all agree that truth and reconciliation must prevail. With that being said, there exists in our society another atrocity and that is to our elderly and their end-of-life care at palliative care hospitals within Canada. I have witnessed this first-hand and was under the misconception that this treatment was the preferred method of care. 

However, I was wrong. In a news article written by Andre Picard entitled “Dying in Canada is costing a fortune and worse, it’s not how we want to go” he talks about the over medicating and uncaring for palliative care patients in Canada. 

“And when Canadians do get access to palliative care, it’s rarely in an appreciable way. Too often, we are dying in pain, scared and alone – overtreated and under-cared for. 

“It’s not because health care workers are unfeeling or uncaring, argue the report’s authors, who either research or work in palliative care. It’s because of the way the system is structured.”

We Canadians deserve better end of life care. Whether we choose to die at home or in a hospital setting treatment needs be geared toward comfort and respect. Please reach out to your MLA and MP to voice your concerns to bring about change. We will all die someday and how we were treated will be a lasting memory for our families.

Kent Perry

Lethbridge