Update from the Quality End of Life Care Coalition of Canada

This morning I received a Press Release from the QELCCC (Quality End of Life Care Coalition of Canada). I am just going to include the statistics on deaths in Canada and projections of death in the coming decades, their priorities, and the link for you to check for further information:

"More than 259,000 Canadians die each year.[1] Of those, only a small proportion receive hospice palliative care. By 2026, with the aging population, the number of Canadians dying each year will increase by 40% to 330,000. By 2036, Canada will see more than 425,000 deaths a year.[2]"

The QELCCC has identified their priorities:

"To continue to improve care at the end of life for all Canadians, the progress report outlines four priorities of the QELCCC over the next 10 years.

• Ensure all Canadians have access to high quality hospice palliative end-of-life care.
• Provide more support for family caregivers.
• Improve the quality and consistency of hospice palliative end-of-life care in Canada. Canadians should expect to receive high quality care in all parts of the country.
• Encourage Canadians to discuss and plan for end of life. Hospice palliative end-of-life care will not be a priority in our health care system until it is a priority for Canadians.
  

For more information on the QELCCC, or to download a copy of the 10 Years Later: A Progress Report on the Blueprint for Action, please visit: www.qelccc.ca.

[1] Population Projections for Canada, Provinces and Territories - 2000 - 2026, Statistics Canada, Catalogue #91-520, p. 110.

[2] Population Projections for Canada, Provinces and Territories - 2000 - 2026, Statistics Canada, Catalogue #91-520, p. 124.