Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Hospice Care Ottawa?
Hospice Care Ottawa is a community-based charitable organization that provides palliative and end-of-life care to people in Ottawa. Our mission is to accompany and support individuals and their families through their end-of-life journey by providing compassionate, high quality care. We serve over 1,500 people and their families each year. Currently we have three locations in Ottawa offering community support programs to help people stay at home as long as possible and 19 beds to provide around the clock nursing care for people in their last days and weeks of life.
Hospice Care Ottawa is a community-based charitable organization that provides palliative and end-of-life care to people in Ottawa. Our mission is to accompany and support individuals and their families through their end-of-life journey by providing compassionate, high quality care. We serve over 1,500 people and their families each year. Currently we have three locations in Ottawa offering community support programs to help people stay at home as long as possible and 19 beds to provide around the clock nursing care for people in their last days and weeks of life.
What services do you provide?
Residence Hospice Care
Residence Hospice Care
- 24 hour nursing care in a home-like environment for those in the last days and weeks of life (at the May Court and Ruddy-Shenkman hospice sites)
Community Hospice Care
- Day Hospice programming six times per week. This offers guests a day out in a friendly environment while providing respite for caregivers (at our May Court Hospice, Ruddy-Shenkman Hospice, La Maison de l'Est and in Richmond)
- In-Home Volunteer Support provides reassurance, companionship and comfort measures to people living at home
- Caregiver Support provides counseling, day respite, complimentary therapies and more to family members who care for a loved one with a life-limiting illness
Bereavement Care
- Counselling, group support, retreats and nature walks to those who are grieving the loss of a loved one who died from a life-limiting illness
How do I access services?
- Referrals to our residence hospice beds are made by your health care professional and go through a central referral and triage system. Click here for more information about hospice palliative care admission criteria.
- Referrals to our community hospice services can be made by any one. To make a referral, please call 613-680-0306 or click here to download a referral form
Can I tour through Hospice Care Ottawa?
To see what our Hospice Care Ottawa sites look like, visit our photo gallery by clicking here.
Why do we need Hospice Services?
Hospice provides compassionate and cost-effective care.
Did you know...
- Most people would prefer to die at home or in a home like environment, not a hospital
- The number of people 65 years and older will double in the next 20 years
- Increasing number of seniors leads to more people using hospital and emergency rooms, which increases costs to the health care system and wait time. Our goal is to improve the quality of life for palliative clients and their caregivers and reduce the burden on the health care system from unnecessary hospitalization
- The cost of a hospice bed is estimated at $470/day versus the cost of an acute care hospital bed at over $1100/day
- In 2017-18, 1,492 benefited directly from Hospice Care Ottawa. This number has increased to 1,780 in 2018-19
Hospice residences are crucial for people living with a life-limiting illness who can no longer be cared for in their own homes. The focus of hospice care is providing the best quality of life for as long as possible in the time remaining. Hospice care wraps families in compassionate loving support and provides bereavement support and after care.
Where are you located?
We have three hospice sites across Ottawa:
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May Court Hospice (114 Cameron Avenue, Ottawa)
Ruddy-Shenkman Hospice (110 McCurdy Drive, Kanata)
La Maison de l'Est (879, chemin Hiawatha Park, Orleans)
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Who can receive care?
Anyone who is dealing with a life-limiting illness living in Ottawa can access our services and support, regardless of age, status or community.
Anyone who is dealing with a life-limiting illness living in Ottawa can access our services and support, regardless of age, status or community.
Who provides services?
- Delivery of services is made possible through the support of dedicated health care staff and over 900 volunteers
- Any volunteer who provides direct client care graduates from our 30 hour training program
Who pays for this?
All of our programs and services are provided at no charge. We receive a portion of our operational funding from government but rely mainly on community support to raise the rest of the dollars (over $2 million annually). We receive no government funding for capital projects.
How can I donate?
Hospice Care Ottawa relies on community support through donations and fundraising projects to enable us to continue to provide hospice palliative care at no charge. To make a donation please click here.
How can I volunteer?
Volunteers are men and women of all ages and backgrounds, employed and retired, who give their time to help others. All direct client care volunteers have completed our extensive training program. Volunteers choose assignments that best suit their time, skills and interest. They provide practical and emotional support to clients and families, bereavement support, and office and fundraising assistance.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer please click here.
How can I opt-out of receiving correspondence from Hospice Care Ottawa?
Hospice Care Ottawa understands that you may not want to receive correspondence, or you might wish to limit the frequency of communications regarding Hospice Care Ottawa news, projects and fundraising initiatives. To do this, please contact Kristina Voth-Childs, Communications Coordinator at Kristina.Voth-Childs@hospicecareottawa.ca or 613-591-6002 ext. 240
