The Prairie Hospice Society in Saskatoon is looking to expand as its caseload grows, and to do that, more donors are needed, more stakeholders and an avenue for core annual funding.
That from Hospice board member, Shan Landry, who explains that the free service from the ‘hospice without walls’ now serves an average of 105 clients and their families per month.
Landry says their $280,000 budget is raised entirely by donations and fundraising events.
To step up the ability to fundraise, the PHS engaged the Community-University Institute for Social Research to come up with some numbers about the value of the service.
After interview clients and family members, the study found the Social Return on Investment (SROI) ranges from between $3.46 and $11.68 for every dollar the Prairie Hospice Society spends.
Landry says the ‘hospice without walls’ model is one that could expand outside of Saskatoon.
The PHS could either train others to do it, or could lead other communities in this effort, and that’s another reason for the need for more funding.

Some of the responses from the interviews include an appreciation for the compassion and friendliness of the volunteers, no financial burden for the clients, the advantage of having a loved one at home when they are terminally ill, and the volunteers helping them to understand the process of death and dying and navigating the health care system.