Inpatient Services

The THP Palliative Care team provides consultation and care on the inpatient wards at Credit Valley Hospital and Mississauga Hospital.

Who is part of the team?

Palliative Care physicians, expert nurse clinicians and an advance practice nurse make up the Palliative Care Team. We work alongside hospital doctors, nurses and allied health teams on each ward to support your health needs.

This care is provided anywhere in the hospital.

Palliative Care Beds

Aim to provide safe, and caring place for you, your family and friends at end of life. You will receive comfort, support and guidance from staff and volunteers.

Your stay here is paid for by Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP).

Provide a dedicated place for symptom management or end of life care under the Palliative Care physicians when:

• your goals are to focus on comfort and dignity
• you are too unwell to be transferred or cared for in another setting,
• you need specialized help with symptoms

If your condition stabilizes or can be managed outside of the hospital setting, we will help you find and transition to the best setting to meet your needs.

When can you come to the Palliative Care Unit?

A palliative care doctor may offer you to go to one of our palliative care units. Coming to the palliative care unit means that you are accepting that you will, one day, die from your illness and you want to focus on comfort and quality of life. This would mean:

• not having cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or escalating your​ care to the ICU but allowing a natural death
• the focus of tests and interventions are to manage symptoms

Your palliative care doctor will determine the best location for you based on bed availability and the complexity of your care.

You may request to be transferred to another care setting such home or hospice, and the team can help arrange this.

How will you be cared for?

Our goal is to provide compassionate care and support for you and those around you. We will:

• help you with your personal care needs, such as bathing, feeding and dressing
• help you to feel comfortable by managing symptoms
• provide you and your family with emotional and spiritual support

What can you and your family do as part of the team?

• Tell us about you, your family and friends
• Bring in your Power of Attorney or Personal Care Document if you have one. Provide phone numbers for important family members or friends
• Be active in your care by asking questions and sharing your concerns, reporting any new symptoms, and telling us what matters to you
• Let us know if you have any important cultural or spiritual practices or needs

What should you bring?

Your room is your space. Please feel free to bring personal items to make it your home away from home. There are shelves available for your pictures or special items. Also, bring in:

• your own clothes
• slippers with a back
• preferred personal care items like:
  • shampoo
  • shaving items
  • hair brush
  • toothbrush
  • toothpaste
• it can be helpful to bring a paper with common phrases or things you need or use written in both your language and English
• your Power of Attorney for personal care document, if available.

Please note, we may need to change your room, depending on the needs of all patients and the hospital.

How long can you stay?

In-hospital palliative care units are intended for short term care. The team will work with you to find other locations that will meet your care needs if:

• your health stays the same for a number of weeks
• your health improves
• your goals are no longer focused on comfort alone

What are visiting hours?

We know that this is a time in your life where having visits with family and friends is important. Our visitation policy on our units will change frequently based on infection outbreaks. Please check in with your nurse around the most up-to-date visitation policies.

We ask that you and your visitors help keep our unit a calm and quiet place and keep the noise level low.

Who do we contact for more information?

Please speak to the palliative care team member involved in your care.

Visiting Hours/Restrictions:

See THP Visitor Information page for most up to date information based on current infection protocols.​

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