The impact on families of a children's hospice program

Pediatric hospice is a relatively new development in the field of hospice care. This article reports on an evaluation project that examined the effect of the Canuck Place children's hospice program on the families it served during its first two and a half years of operation. Using the principles of participatory action research, data were collected from individual interviews, focus groups, and mail-out surveys of families who used the program. Sixteen categories of hospice program effect were found to summarize how families regarded, used, and assessed their experiences. Families overwhelmingly endorsed the Canuck Place program. They also provided helpful suggestions for improvement and growth, particularly during the program's formative years. Recommendations are made with a view to promoting and solidifying the ongoing success of the Canuck Place program, as well as of children's hospice programs in general.