Hospice care beds will begin opening at Fishermen’s Memorial Hospital in January, marking a major milestone for end-of-life care on the South Shore.
The province has announced the five-bed hospice unit will open in a stepped or phased approach, with the first beds becoming available early in the new year. Once fully operational, the unit will provide dedicated hospice and palliative care in a hospital setting for patients in Lunenburg and Queens counties.
Marlene Wheatley Down, vice-chair of the South Shore Hospice Palliative Care Society, says the announcement represents years of advocacy and collaboration.
“We’ve been thrilled to celebrate the announcement by the province that the hospice beds at Fishermen’s Memorial Hospital will open in a stepped fashion in January,” Wheatley Down said. “It’s a really positive step for patients and families here on the South Shore, and it’s the culmination of many partnerships.”
The beds were first announced roughly five years ago, but Wheatley Down says staffing challenges — particularly through and after the COVID-19 pandemic — delayed their opening.
“The beds have actually been ready to go for a long time,” she said. “The biggest challenge has been staffing. Post-COVID, recruiting has been difficult in many areas of health care, and hospice was no exception.”
She says those barriers have now been addressed, with key medical leadership and staff in place.
“They now have a medical director, physicians in place, and staff being trained,” Wheatley Down said. “It’s a wonderful thing to finally be able to celebrate.”
Under the phased plan, two hospice beds are expected to open in January, with the remaining three added as staffing levels increase.
“Our understanding is that two beds will open in January, and then as they’re able to recruit and train more staff, the other three beds will open,” she said.
The new unit will be the first dedicated hospice care beds in Lunenburg and Queens counties. Until now, the region was one of only two areas in Nova Scotia without designated hospice or palliative care beds.
“There are no other hospice beds within Lunenburg and Queens County,” Wheatley Down said. “This is a real step toward equitable care for our region.”
While patients in the area have continued to receive medical care, Wheatley Down says the hospice unit will significantly improve the environment in which that care is delivered.
“We’ve been very concerned about the environment end-of-life care was being delivered in,” she said. “With these beds, patients will have more privacy, dignity and comfort at the end of life.”
Wheatley Down also emphasized the role of community partners in bringing the project to fruition, including Nova Scotia Health, the Health Services Foundation of the South Shore, the Fishermen’s Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, and local donors.
“We are so blessed to have such a generous community,” she said. “We really appreciate the support, the donations and the partnerships that helped make this possible.”
Looking ahead, Wheatley Down says the Hospice Society’s long-term goal remains the development of a standalone hospice facility serving both Lunenburg and Queens counties, along with designated palliative care beds at South Shore Regional Hospital and Queens General Hospital.
Local MLA Susan Corkum-Greek also welcomed the opening of the hospice beds, calling it an important moment for the region.
“This is such an important announcement for Lunenburg–Queens,” she said, noting the unit was announced prior to the 2021 election but required significant planning around staffing and specialized training.
Corkum-Greek said the hospice beds, combined with other recent health care investments — including the installation of the South Shore’s first MRI at South Shore Regional Hospital — show tangible progress, while acknowledging more work remains.
The first hospice beds at Fishermen’s Memorial Hospital are expected to begin accepting patients in January, with additional beds opening as staffing allows.
