An expansion to double the number of beds at the Foothills Country Hospice is almost complete.
The hospice north of Okotoks provides end-of-life care and bereavement support for patients and families in southern Alberta. The hospice started a 12,000-square-foot expansion almost two years ago to help meet a growing need for its services.
Once complete, the expansion will take the hospice from eight to 16 beds and will add more space for family members, and for grief support and community outreach programs.
“It’s going to be pretty amazing when it’s completed,” said Foothills Country Hospice Society board chair June Diment.
Work on the new wing of the hospice is nearly finished and is expected to open in September.
The new patient rooms have state-of-the-art amenities, and the expansion includes lounges and private areas for family members.
“I think they’ve tried to think of everything that a patient and their family might actually want or need,” Diment said.
When the expansion is complete, the hospice will provide care to about 200 people each year.
The $9-million expansion is a major milestone in the hospice’s Compassion in Action campaign.
The goal of the campaign is to raise $15 million, and almost $12 million has been raised so far.
“It really is a big community effort, and then you have legacies and regular donations that people make,” Diment said.
Other aspects of the campaign involve the expansion of bereavement and community support programs and the creation of a long-term sustainability fund.
