The Last Word: LTC residents take control of their life and death

Every day across Canada, seniors who live in long-term care (LTC) homes are sent to hospital for medical care, some during their final days of life. In fact, according to new data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information, nearly 1 in 5 residents transferred from long-term care to the hospital die within a day — meaning they were likely near the end of their lives regardless of the urgent problem that led to the transfer. This raises the question, were these transfers necessary, ethical and what the residents really wanted? Host Avis Favaro talks with Jill Oliver, an ethicist from the William Osler Health System in Brampton, Ontario, about a new program called POET, which stands for the Prevention Of Error-based Transfers. The aim: to make sure residents have their wishes respected, especially at the end of life. And 2 staff members at an LTC home that adopted POET — Lindsay Passfield and Lori Norris-Dudley — describe the profound difference the program has made in the lives and deaths of the residents they care for. This episode is available in English Episode transcripts can be found on our podcast web page.Learn more about the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).Say hello on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram, or subscribe to our YouTube channel. You can also stay up to date on the latest news and upcoming releases with our monthly newsletter.Vous préférez les balados français? Voyez le Balado d’information sur la santé au Canada.