There aren't enough palliative care programs to look after patients in their homes. Furthermore, Dr. Librach said those charged with the task of restructuring health services appear to be confused about the meaning of palliative care. Dr. Sinclair is making a big assumption that long-term care and palliative care are the same thing. You don't admit cancer patients to a retirement home. Long-term care is nursing home care.
Palliative care is a way of caring for the dying.
Dr. Librach said that if nothing more is done to meet the needs of the dying in Ontario there will be a health-care crisis as the province's population ages and the need for palliative care grows. What is going to happen is that people won't get appropriate care. He added that this will directly impact dying patients. A pain pump allows a patient to self-administer an analgesic such as morphine when needed.