A Home For Hospice
Sunshine Coast Hospice is thrilled to announce it will be developing a new residential hospice on the Sunshine Coast in partnership with Vancouver Coastal Health, marking a significant milestone in our commitment to meet the growing demand in our community for compassionate hospice support, services and programs.
Located in a quiet neighbourhood of Roberts Creek, surrounded by lush forest, our residential hospice will offer a warm, home-like, supportive environment for individuals and their families during one of life’s most challenging times.
The new hospice will transform a large, existing home and surrounding gardens into a purpose-designed space featuring eight comfortable, private rooms, dedicated spaces for visiting family, quiet reflection, and a range of therapeutic services designed to provide a meaningful, dignified end-of-life journey, making the most of every moment in the life that is left.
“We are incredibly proud to bring this custom-designed, much-needed resource to our community. We have already secured two-thirds of the needed $6 million to complete and maintain the project in perpetuity, and will be reaching out to generous donors in our community to raise the remaining third,” said Tess Huntly, Executive Director of the Coast Hospice.
Dr. Carmen Goojha, a family physician on the Coast, says: “Caregiving is really hard work. A residential hospice offers reprieve and comfort knowing that other people are there to help.”
A residential hospice provides expert medical and emotional support in a compassionate space where families can cherish their time with their loved ones. “How we treat those who are dying in our community–whoever they are, and whatever their story–reflects who we are as a community. It’s about caring. This is the essence of Hospice,” adds Huntly.
Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) will fund the operating costs of the new residential hospice. In addition, VCH will provide $3 million towards the purchase and renovation of the building.
“We have been in discussions with Vancouver Coastal Health for many years, and we are very pleased to receive this commitment of funding for a long-awaited increase in residential hospice care for our community,” Ellen Adelberg, President of the Sunshine Coast Hospice Society Board of Directors.
Design of the project is already underway, and renovation of the existing home is expected to begin in mid-2025 with anticipated completion in 2026. In the interim, Vancouver Coastal Health and Trellis Corporation will maintain four existing hospice care rooms and family lounge in Silverstone Care Centre that are being used for this purpose on a temporary basis.
About Coast Hospice
Sunshine Coast Hospice Society has provided compassionate end-of-life and grief support for local residents since 1987, regardless of circumstances or choices. We enhance the quality of life for people facing advancing illness, death and grief, and those who love them, through skilled support, education, and advocacy.
Our free resources include the Green Sleeve advance care planning resource kit, community workshops, and “Living With Dying,” a six-part film series. With the help of 85+ trained volunteers, we offer free community programs and services that respond to the needs of people of the Sunshine Coast. These and our other community programs, along with our administrative offices, continue to be located at Hospice House on Simpkins Road in Davis Bay.
For more information about the build, the capital campaign and the location of the home, please access the page below.