A new hospice centre is scheduled to open in Osoyoos within two weeks.
Boundary-Similkameen MLA Linda Larson has announced that the provincial government has signed a three-year agreement with the Desert Valley Hospice society to open a new hospice centre in Osoyoos.
This new centre will go a long way towards addressing the growing need for supportive and palliative care for seniors and others needing assistance with end-of-life care, said Larson.
As of Sept. 1, the provincial government will be providing the hospice society with the use of a building, owned by the province, at 22 Jonagold Place.
The provincial government will also deliver funding support for operating costs, including building maintenance, property taxes and utilities.
The Desert Valley Hospice Society will use the space to plan and build capacity for a community-based hospice. The society is a charitable organization that has been committed to end-of-life care for residents in Oliver and Osoyoos for the past several years.
“Community-led initiatives and non-profit societies are the foundation of our supportive housing sector,’ said Larson. “The great work that the Desert Valley Hospice Society is doing will lead to more options for families in our Southern Okanagan communities who need supportive care and hospice accommodations.”
Janet Shaw, Desert Valley Hospice Society, said in a news release that this is wonderful news for all residents in Oliver and Osoyoos.
“Desert Valley Hospice Society is very pleased to have the opportunity to create a supportive care centre with the generous assistance of B.C. Housing and the government of B.C.” she said. “This will enable the society to have a home from which to operate as we work to achieve our vision to support excellence in the delivery of hospice palliative and end-of-life care.”
The province will provide over $37,000 in annual funding toward the operation of the resource development space.
Approximately $35,000 per year in operating costs, including building maintenance, property taxes and utilities, will also will be provided by the provincial government.
The provincial government has also committed an additional $50,000 to ensure the building is ready for the society to occupy.
Since 2001, the B.C. government has created more than 11,000 new supportive and independent social housing units for seniors and people with special needs.
Last year, the province invested over $340,000 in Osoyoos to provide subsidized housing and rent supplements for more than 130 households, including over 110 senior households.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
