Access to respite services for family caregivers increases a palliative care patient’s probability of dying at home almost threefold, according to a McGill University-led study.
Previous surveys suggest most Canadians with a serious illness would prefer to spend the end of their lives at home. In Quebec, fewer than one-in-10 palliative care patients die at home, a rate that has remained largely unchanged for two decades and lags behind the Canadian average of 15 per cent.
As health care systems across Canada and beyond struggle with staff shortages, international experts are backing a promising strategy: expanding the role of advanced practice nurses.
Countries worldwide face challenges meeting the growing needs for long-term care services because of high costs. A study led by researchers from McGill University and Université du Québec en Outaouais shows that introducing nurse practitioners can significantly reduce costs and improve patient safety.
