New coordinator has high hopes for Every Day Counts Program at North Shore Hospice

As the newly appointed Coordinator of the Every Day Counts Program, which is part of the Palliative and Supportive Care Program, Liina McNeil returns to one of her lifelong passions – providing a supportive environment for individuals experiencing challenging moments in life.

“Taking on the Program Coordinator position is a very big honour for me,” says Liina.

“As a Registered Clinical Counsellor I’ve been fighting for the inclusion and importance of psychosocial aspects of health and treatment all of my 15-year career. This position allows me to support VCH’s vision of innovation in putting into practice exactly that – supporting individuals at their most vulnerable from a holistic framework. This is an exciting time for the North Shore Palliative and Supportive Care Program and for VCH because we are the first to combine medical and psychosocial treatment under one umbrella, instead of separate services.”

Program elements

The Every Day Counts Program was created in 2014 for patients of all ages on the North Shore and Bowen Island who are living with a serious life limiting illness, their family and the bereaved to realize the best quality of life. It includes guidance information sessions, wellbeing sessions, and supportive counselling.

The free program offers yoga, walking groups, music therapy, relaxation support groups and Beautiful You.  It also offers:

• Easy Access to Community Resources
• Support with Lifestyle Changes
• Learning Coping Strategies
• Ease with Emotional Impact
• Preparation for Future Care
• Support in Bereavement

Coordinator will bring cohesion

Dr. Peter Edmunds, VCH-Coastal Regional Medical Director, Home, Community and Palliative Care, is more than delighted to have Liina on board.

“Liina not only has the perfect background, she has a clear vision of how to bring different strands of the program together and how to raise its profile in the community,” says Peter. “The program is such a great hidden gem and has such a positive effect on the people who access it. It really needed a coordinator to bring all the program elements together.”

The program currently provides services to over 150 active clients every month. Those numbers will likely increase thanks to the addition of a coordinator as well as when the new Palliative Outpatient Clinic and the designated space for the Every Day Counts Program  is completed in December 2017.

A joint $2 million fundraising project between the Lions Gate Hospital Foundation and the North Shore Hospice Society, this new palliative hub will be the permanent home for the program while also providing space for the palliative care team to better and more rapidly serve their patients outside of the acute setting.

“Medical care on the North Shore is excellent and now we can be even more proud because not only are palliative patients receiving medical care, but also receiving holistic care,” says Liina.