The History of Hospice Care Ottawa
1986: A group of parishioners from All Saints Church in Sandy Hill began exploring the idea of starting a local hospice after caring for a fellow parishioner who wanted to die at home.
1987: The Hospice of All Saints’ first board of directors is established and the executive director is hired. 1988: The first patient is admitted and the Home Support Program is launched out of a small office at All Saints Church. 1989: A part-time nurse is hired. 1991: The Bereavement Follow-up Program is established. 1992: The Hospice becomes separately incorporated and moves around the corner to 18 Blackburn Avenue. 1993: Day Hospice begins and is one of only three such programs in all of Canada. 1994: A second day of the Day Hospice program is added to serve an additional group of patients. 1995: The Family Support Program begins. 1997: A third day is added to Day Hospice. 1998: The May Court Club of Ottawa and the Hospice approve the relocation of the Hospice to 114 Cameron Avenue, site of the former May Court Convalescent Home and the Hospice membership votes to change the name from The Hospice of All Saints to the Hospice at May Court. 1999: The May Court Club officially establishes The Hospice at May Court which opens its doors and welcomes the hospice on Cameron Avenue. 2001: The Hospice Residential Program admits its first patient on January 22, becoming the first program of its kind in Ontario. 2004: The Hospice faces the possibility of closing the Residential Program after its pilot-project funding from the provincial government is threatened. 2005: As a result of a community letter-writing campaign to keep the residence open, the Government of Ontario formally recognizes palliative care and allocates funding in its budget for the first time. 2006-2012: The Hospice at May Court remained a model of excellence in palliative end-of-life care. It was an accredited health care facility with Accreditation Canada. Long standing volunteers remained with the hospice for up to 20 years of service. Up to 600 individuals benefitted from the warm circle of caring support each year. |
1996: Sylvia House Hospice was developed to meet the expanding needs for hospice palliative care across Ottawa West communities.
2003: When Sylvia House Hospice lost its primary support a small group of concerned citizens started Friends of Hospice Ottawa to continue service who still need palliative support. 2004: A Board of Directors is formed and a nurse is hired. 2004: The first Day Hospice program is held at Bells Corners United Church. 2004: The In-Home Support program is established. 2004: 54 individuals and their family were served the first year Friends of Hospice Ottawa was formed. 2005: Through a grant, Friends of Hospice was able to provide bereavement support programs. 2007: Caregiver Support program grows to include the annual Caregiver ‘Day Away’ Retreat. 2007: A second Day Hospice begins at St. John’s Anglican Church in Richmond 2007: A Steering Committee was formed to lead a proposed residential hospice project for Ottawa West. 2008: Financial Support from the Champlain Local Health Integration Network is secured, the first government funding received by the organization. 2010: Friends of Hospice Ottawa office opens in the Blackwood Business Centre in Kanata. All staff, who previously worked from home and in the basement of a medical centre in Richmond, now work under one roof – allowing the organization to run more efficiently. 2010: Friends of Hospice Ottawa continues to grow with over 125 volunteers, six staff and a dedicated board of directors. 2011: Friends of Hospice Ottawa receives level two Hospice Palliative Care Ontario Accreditation to ensure the delivery of consistent, high quality home-based volunteer hospice palliative care. 2012: Friends of Hospice Ottawa continued to provide high quality community care to up to 330 clients and their families each year. |
2011: The Ottawa Hospice Services Program Business Case was proposed to the Champlain LHIN. This was developed through a close collaboration of the Board of the Friends of Hospice Ottawa, Hospice at May Court and Bruyère Continuing Care. The funding request proposed in the business case was to sustain and enhance residential and community hospice services in Ottawa so that terminally ill patients’ needs are met in the most appropriate environment across the continuum of palliative care services.
2012: The Champlain LHIN approves The Ottawa Hospice Services Program proposal and the Transition Committee oversees the bringing together of The Hospice at May Court and Friends of Hospice Ottawa to a single entity
2012: An Executive Director is hired to oversee the one organization, Ottawa Hospice Services
2013: On January 1, The Hospice at May Court and Friends of Hospice Ottawa officially amalgamated. This allowed for improved efficiency and securing more government funding and most importantly, to offer more high quality services to people needing end of life support
2013: A major capital campaign, the Hospice Ottawa West campaign, is launched to provide funds for the building of a permanent Hospice in the West end.
2013: In January the church and property at 110 McCurdy Drive, Kanata was purchased for the future home of our new residence.
2013: On February 19, we opened four new residential hospice beds in central west Ottawa, 1400 Carling Avenue, Embassy West Seniors Living Centre.
2013: As we create our new organization we also are creating a new look and feel. The Hospice Care Ottawa name and logo first appeared in our summer newsletter. The new name was officially voted in at our first Annual General Meeting on September 26, 2013.
2013: In the Fall we opened our 10 bed residential hospice wing at the Embassy West Seniors Living Centre. This site is now known at the Central West Hospice.
2014: In March, the first phase is completed on the Ruddy-Shenkman Hospice. Staff moves into the newly renovated building.
2014: In October, Day Hospice programming is moved from Bells Corners United Church to the Ruddy-Shenkman Hospice.
2015: Caregiver Support Program is expanded with Caregiver Yoga offered weekly at the Ruddy-Shenkman Hospice.
2015: In September, we open a new site, La Maison de l’Est, in Orléans and host the first French volunteer training course.
2015: In October, a second Day Hospice program is opened at the Ruddy-Shenkman Hospice. Hospice Care Ottawa now offers six program days: three at the May Court Hospice, two at the Ruddy-Shenkman Hospice and one in Richmond.
2016: In May, an open house is held to spread awareness of the new francophone services now offered at La Maison de l’Est in Orléans. Volunteer training and In-Home Support begins.
2016: May 31, a ground breaking ceremony is held for Hein House, the residential wing of Ruddy-Shenkman Hospice.
2017: In June, the first francophone Day Hospice program opens at La Maison de l’Est in Orléans.
2017: September 26, construction is completed on the Hein House wing of the Ruddy-Shenkman Hospice. It houses 12 hospice residence suites.
2012: The Champlain LHIN approves The Ottawa Hospice Services Program proposal and the Transition Committee oversees the bringing together of The Hospice at May Court and Friends of Hospice Ottawa to a single entity
2012: An Executive Director is hired to oversee the one organization, Ottawa Hospice Services
2013: On January 1, The Hospice at May Court and Friends of Hospice Ottawa officially amalgamated. This allowed for improved efficiency and securing more government funding and most importantly, to offer more high quality services to people needing end of life support
2013: A major capital campaign, the Hospice Ottawa West campaign, is launched to provide funds for the building of a permanent Hospice in the West end.
2013: In January the church and property at 110 McCurdy Drive, Kanata was purchased for the future home of our new residence.
2013: On February 19, we opened four new residential hospice beds in central west Ottawa, 1400 Carling Avenue, Embassy West Seniors Living Centre.
2013: As we create our new organization we also are creating a new look and feel. The Hospice Care Ottawa name and logo first appeared in our summer newsletter. The new name was officially voted in at our first Annual General Meeting on September 26, 2013.
2013: In the Fall we opened our 10 bed residential hospice wing at the Embassy West Seniors Living Centre. This site is now known at the Central West Hospice.
2014: In March, the first phase is completed on the Ruddy-Shenkman Hospice. Staff moves into the newly renovated building.
2014: In October, Day Hospice programming is moved from Bells Corners United Church to the Ruddy-Shenkman Hospice.
2015: Caregiver Support Program is expanded with Caregiver Yoga offered weekly at the Ruddy-Shenkman Hospice.
2015: In September, we open a new site, La Maison de l’Est, in Orléans and host the first French volunteer training course.
2015: In October, a second Day Hospice program is opened at the Ruddy-Shenkman Hospice. Hospice Care Ottawa now offers six program days: three at the May Court Hospice, two at the Ruddy-Shenkman Hospice and one in Richmond.
2016: In May, an open house is held to spread awareness of the new francophone services now offered at La Maison de l’Est in Orléans. Volunteer training and In-Home Support begins.
2016: May 31, a ground breaking ceremony is held for Hein House, the residential wing of Ruddy-Shenkman Hospice.
2017: In June, the first francophone Day Hospice program opens at La Maison de l’Est in Orléans.
2017: September 26, construction is completed on the Hein House wing of the Ruddy-Shenkman Hospice. It houses 12 hospice residence suites.