[Canada] Availability of respite care almost triples a palliative care patient’s chance of dying at home

[Canada] Availability of respite care almost triples a palliative care patient’s chance of dying at home 
EurekAlert! - AAAS; News Release by McGill University; 9/22/25 
Access to respite services for family caregivers increases a palliative care patient’s probability of dying at home almost threefold, according to a McGill University-led study. Previous surveys suggest most Canadians with a serious illness would prefer to spend the end of their lives at home. ... Funded by Quebec’s health ministry as part of its action plan for equitable access to quality palliative and end-of-life care, the study set out to find which factors matter most in helping patients avoid a transfer to a hospital or palliative care centre in their final days. Respite care – professional help that allows family caregivers to take short breaks –emerged as the strongest predictor, with patients 2.7 times more likely to die at home when it was available.