Just over 100 patients have received care at Andy’s House in Port Carling through a partnership with Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC).
MAHC provides funding for five of the eight beds at the palliative care home.
The first patient arrived on May 21, 2022. Andy’s House celebrated its two-year anniversary in Oct. 2022.
“Without that partnership, we probably would have closed our doors last December,” says Donna Kearney, Executive Director of Hospice Muskoka.
She adds she’s thankful the partnership will be continuing.
“MAHC’s partnership with Hospice Muskoka has provided greater streamlined access to palliative care at Andy’s House for our community,” said Cheryl Harrison, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Through dedicated pathways, we have developed with the hospice team, there are immediate referrals to the transitional palliative bed, giving people quicker access to the end-of-life care that best fits their needs and desires.”
She added the agreement with Hospice has opened up acute care beds at the Huntsville District Memorial Hospital and South Muskoka Memorial Hospital in Bracebridge.
“We have come a long way since those first patients crossed the threshold into hospice,” says Kearney. “Freeing up acute care beds, increasing access to hospice beds, cost savings for taxpayers, and most importantly specialized end-of-life care in a home-like setting are all being achieved.”
