End of Life Care
2SLTBTQ+ Resources
What: Online resources, information and tools for people who identify as Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ (2SLGBTQ+) and who are facing advanced illness, frailty, caregiving, and grief. This information is also helpful for allies, people working in healthcare and education and communities.
Who: Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ (2SLGBTQ+)
Where: Website
Cost: Free
Yukon Advance Directives
What: A legal tool designed to help individuals appoint a health care proxy and record their health care wishes should they become incapable of expressing them.
Who: Everyone
Where: Phone: 456-6800, email: advancedirectives@yukon.ca or information and forms are available online at Website.
Cost: Free
Rural End-of-Life Funding Program
What: The Rural End-of-Life Funding Program provides extra support to Yukoners in rural communities in need of end-of –life care services that can’t be provided by Yukon Home Care or other care providers. Under the program, peope can hire a care provider of their own choosing to assist with tasks such as: personal care srvices, respite care services or homemaking services.
Who: To learn more about this program and whether your might be eligible, talk to your Home Care Coordinator.
Where: Assessments to confirm eligibility are completed by Yukon Home Care. Funding is available for up to three months. Home Care phone 867-667-5774.
Cost: Free
Employment Insurance Compassionate Care Benefits
What: Employment Insurance provides compassionate care benefits for people who have to leave work temporarily to provide care or support for a family member who is gravely ill and at risk of dying. Benefits can be paid for up to 26 weeks. Sometimes in life, you might need to take time away from work to provide care or support for a family member who is:
critically ill
critically injured
in need of end-of-life care
If this happens, Employment Insurance (EI) has a caregiver benefit available for you.
As a caregiver, you don’t have to live with the person you care for or support. You don’t even have to be related, but you must be considered to be like a family member.
The weeks of benefits can be shared by eligible caregivers, either at the same time or one after another.
The EI program offers 3 types of caregiving benefits.
Who: Everyone
Where: For more information, call 1-800-206-7218 or go to Website.
Cost: Free
Palliative Care
What: Palliative care is a specialized approach to care for people and families living with a life-limiting illness. Often their illness is at an advanced stage. The goal of a palliative approach to care is to provide comfort and dignity. This approach aims to improve quality of life for both this person and their family. Here is a PDF list of resources they have gathered.
Who: People with life-limiting illnesses
Where: Website. Email palliativecare@yukon.ca, phone 867-667-9380 or fax 867-667-9332
Medical Assistance in Dying
What: Medical assistance in dying provides the option to end a life with the help of a doctor or a nurse practitioner. At a patient’s request, a health professional can provide or administer medication. This medication intentionally ends a patient’s life. It's only for those with a serious and incurable medical condition.
Who: You can access medical assistance in dying if you're:
eligible for the Yukon Health Insurance Plan or another public plan in Canada;
at least 18 years of age and capable of making decisions about your health;
making a voluntary request for medical assistance in dying that was not made as a result of external pressure;
giving informed consent to receive medical assistance in dying (this means you made the decision knowing all available options to relieve your suffering, including palliative care services); and
living with a grievous and irremediable medical condition, which means:you have a serious and incurable illness, disease or disability;
you're in an advanced state of decline that cannot be reversed; and
you experience unbearable physical or mental suffering from your illness, disease, disability or state of decline that cannot be relieved under conditions you consider acceptable.
Where: If you're interested in medical assistance in dying, talk with your health care provider. This can include your family doctor, a specialist or a nurse practitioner. These authorized professionals can discuss the options available to you. They can also refer you to another medical provider who can help.
You can also ask your Community Health Centre nurse for assistance. They can refer you to:
the next visiting doctor;
the resident nurse practitioners; or
a medical professional in Whitehorse.
Compassionate and respectful treatment is at the heart of any assisted dying request.
Hospice Yukon Society
What: Hospice Yukon offers compassionate support to those facing life threatening illness, grieving the loss of a loved one or supporting others going through these life events. Our programs and services are confidential and free of charge and include grief counselling, palliative support, Healing Touch, grief groups, professional support, public education, a lending library and a resource oriented web site.
Who: Everyone
Where: Website
409 Jarvis Street, Whitehorse
Phone: 867-667-7429
E-mail Address: info@hospiceyukon.net
Cost: Free