Hospice palliative care is a special kind of health care aimed at relieving suffering and improving quality of life for persons who are living with, or dying from, advanced illness. The goal is to provide comfort and dignity for the person living with the illness as well as the best quality of life for both this person and his or her family.

An important objective is the relief of pain and other symptoms. Palliative care deals with not only physical needs, but also psychological, social, cultural, emotional and spiritual needs. Palliative care may step in when a cure for an illness is no longer possible. It helps people live out their remaining time in comfort and dignity. Quality hospice palliative care neither hastens death nor prolongs life.

Palliative care can help not only when a person is approaching death but also during the earlier stages of illness. It may be combined with other treatments aimed at reducing or curing the illness, such as chemotherapy. Families benefit from palliative support when their loved one is dying as well as after his or her death.

Learn more. Watch our video.
“People Come Here to Live, Not To Die”

Visit Hospice Palliative Care Ontario for more videos that may help you better understand what hospice palliative care may do for you or your loved one.

Advance Care Planning is a process of reflection and communication. It is a time for you to reflect on your values and wishes, and to let people know what kind of health and personal care you would want in the future if you were unable to speak for yourself.

It means having discussions with family and friends, especially your Substitute Decision Maker – the person who will speak for you if you cannot speak for yourself. It may also include writing down your wishes, and talking with healthcare providers and financial or legal professionals.

To learn more about making your wishes known through Advanced Care Planning, check out these videos at Hospice Palliative Care Ontario.

To discuss how our programs or care can help you please contact our Resident Care Manager at 613-433-3993 extension 2235. Health care providers, family, or community agencies can also provide a referral for you to Hospice. Please keep in mind that we can best help you and your family when there is time to discuss future plans and to make careful informed choices.

As we approach the end of life, when a cure is unlikely, when our care needs exceed what family can provide at home, many of us still want the care, comfort and compassion of a home-like setting. That is Hospice Renfrew. Here families can be part of an end-of-life care that celebrates life. Dedicated and experienced, our expert staff provides advanced quality care and support. We help our residents and families have final closure and as fully as possible live remaining precious moments without suffering. Our family centered approach makes sure care and support are there for the family long after a stay at Hospice has ended.

You can call us to arrange a visit so we can introduce ourselves and explain what we can offer you at Hospice. There is never pressure to make a decision. Just call us at 613-433-3993, extension 2229 to arrange a visit and have a tour.

You can change your mind at any time and can select other care for any reason. If you think you might be interested in a Hospice stay, an application can be completed and kept on file and activated when you make your decision.

Our specially trained team includes registered nurses, registered practical nurses, personal support workers, physicians and volunteers. We provide care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

There is no cost for any of our programs and services. Hospice is a registered charity. We depend greatly on community support as the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care only provides funding for about 40% of our operations. Donations are encouraged and welcomed.

It is our goal at Hospice to always respect the dignity and independence of everyone. We want to give people with disabilities the same opportunities to access our care and services and we want them to benefit in the same way as others.

Hospice Renfrew policies reflect our commitment to providing excellent customer service to all patients, inclusive of individuals with disabilities. Specifically:

• We are committed to meeting our obligations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.
• We operate in compliance with the Ontario Human Rights Code.
• We affirm and protect a right to care and treatment that is accessible, inclusive, secure, and respectful to all.
• We provide access to various assistive devices onsite that may be required by individuals with disabilities.
• We communicate with individuals with disabilities in ways that take into account their challenges.
• The service animals of individuals with disabilities are welcome in all the public areas of Hospice.
• We welcome support persons accompanying individuals with a disability.
• We provide training on accessible customer service for all our employees, volunteers, students and others who deal with the public.
• If there is a disruption at Hospice that may impact services usually used by individuals with disabilities, we will explain the reasons for the disruption, how long it will last, and if alternative facilities or services are available. (Please note that if it is an emergency disruption, we may not be able to give advance notice.)
• We incorporate accessibility criteria and features when acquiring goods, services or facilities. If it is just not practicable to do so, then, upon request, we will provide an explanation.
• When asked, we can provide information about our organization and its services, including public safety information, in accessible formats or with communication supports. We will also meet internationally-recognized WCAG 2.0, Level AA website requirements in accordance with timelines set out in the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation.
• We inform employees, potential hires and the public that accommodations can be made during recruitment and hiring. Where needed we develop individual accommodation plans for employees. We can also provide customized emergency information to help an employee with a disability during an emergency. Our performance management, career development and redeployment processes take into account the accessibility needs of all employees.

We welcome feedback about our services to individuals with disabilities. If you wish to provide feedback you can send a submission by e-mail info@hospicerenfrew.ca, phone 613-433-3993 or mail Hospice Renfrew, 459 Albert Street, Renfrew, ON K7V 1V8

For more details please see our accessibility policy. And for any further clarification please contact us.

• Hospice Residence: end-of-life care
• Pain and Symptom Management: short stay visits
• Bereavement Support
• Education Center

Not at all. Hospice palliative care means there is much more that can be done. With hospice, the emphasis of care shifts from cure to improving quality of life through pain and symptom management. We provide care where spiritual and psychological concerns are treated as equally important as physical concerns. We help our residents and families come home for final closure and as fully as possible live remaining precious moments without suffering.

Certainly not! Occasionally residents at Hospice improve to such a degree that home or a long-term care facility is more suitable for them. Hospice is focused on end-of-life care. So when appropriate we work together with the individual and their family to ensure they are in the very best place for their current care needs.

Hospice care is for anyone who needs comfortable compassionate end-of-life care. Although the majority of those we serve have been diagnosed with cancer we have residents with many other diagnoses including circulatory, respiratory and other chronic diseases.

See Compassionate Care Benefits available through Government of Canada Employment Insurance

The Canada Labour Code provides for bereavement leave for employees under federal jurisdiction. It states "When a member of an employee's immediate family dies, the employee is entitled to leave on any normal working day that falls within the three-day period immediately following the day the death occurred."

To learn more about this Bereavement Leave click here.

For info on bereavement-related leave in Ontario see provisions under the Ontario Employment Standards Act

Hospice Renfrew has no designated religious affiliation. Supportive spiritual care at Hospice can include:

• Help to connect with a faith or traditions that have meaning for our residents and families
• Help in planning memorials or other rituals to mark times of loss and change
• Referral to community clergy and faith communities

Yes. Hospice would be pleased to speak to your group. With our expert knowledge of hospice palliative care we can deliver informative talks about hospice and surrounding issues. If you would like to schedule a Hospice presentation please just Contact Us.