Ontario's Doctors Launch End of Life Care Plan

TORONTO, May 28, 2014 /CNW/ - Have you thought about who would make decisions for you if you're not in a position to make them for yourself? Only 25% of Canadians over age 30 have made end-of-life care plans and just over 40% of those over age 70 have done so.  People rarely talk about their end-of-life wishes and Ontario's doctors want to change that.

Today, OMA Past-President Dr. Scott Wooder officially launched a provincial framework to enhance care for people at the end of their lives. Ontario's doctors are committed to thoughtful and patient focused end-of-life planning to help manage patients' health care needs.

The Framework for End-of-Life Care was presented to healthcare stakeholders, including the Ontario Hospital Association, the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario and the Ontario government. It was an opportunity to recognize the efforts of the many organizations and individuals who contributed to the development of the framework and to continue to develop the partnerships moving forward.

The framework helps to identify the key elements for high quality end-of-life care, including increasing the number of Ontarians who do Advance Care Planning (ACP), bridging Advance Care Planning and Palliative Care, and improving access to palliative supports.

"I'm thrilled with the enthusiasm that we've seen here today," said Dr. Scott Wooder. "Ontario's doctors, healthcare stakeholders and the public have demonstrated time-and-time-again that end of life care is a priority."

Kenneth Owen, a terminally ill cancer patient shares his touching end of life experience here.
http://youtu.be/OqFWw_NtN7s  

For more information about end-of-life-care please visit ontariosdoctors.com

Video with caption: "Video: PSA: End of Life Care ". Video available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqFWw_NtN7s&feature=youtu.be

SOURCE: Ontario Medical Association

OMA Media Relations at 416.340.2862 or toll-free at 1.800.268.7215, ext. 2862
[email protected] @OntariosDoctors