About the Palliative Care Unit (PCU)
The palliative care unit provides clinical care to those individuals who are in the final months of life as a result of illnesses including but not limited to cancer, end-stage organ failure, HIV/AIDS and end-stage dementia. We recognize that our patients have unique needs and values and we both encourage and support their full participation in decisions affecting their health and life. Our goal is to serve patients and their families through excellence in comprehensive palliative care.
The care provided by the palliative care team at TGHC focuses on:
- Assessment and management of pain and other symptoms such as nausea and breathlessness.
- Supportive care for our patients’ psychosocial and spiritual care needs.
- Optimizing functional abilities and safety through supports from occupational therapy and/or physiotherapy
- Communication and decision-making with patients and their families to establish medically achievable, patient-centred goals of care.
- Coordination of transitions of care and support across care settings.
- Bereavement services that support patients and their families.
Respite Services may also be arranged at the TGHC palliative care unit for short-term admissions, generally two to four weeks. Respite services are offered for the following reasons:
- To offer family caregivers in the home setting a reprieve from the ongoing tasks required to maintain a family member with advanced illness at home.
- To offer patients a short-term admission for pain and symptom management with a plan to discharge back home.
- As a short-term admission to enable sufficient support services to be established in the person’s home.
Our Team
At TGHC, we use an interprofessional team approach to care which optimizes patient care and results in higher levels of patient and family satisfaction. Our team members include:
- Physicians
- Nurses
- Social worker
- Chaplain
- Pharmacist
- Unit clerk
- Patient care manager
- Volunteers (including pet therapy)
- Physiotherapist
- Occupational therapist
Other health professionals provide service on an as needed basis. These include the registered dietitian, speech-language pathologist, recreation therapist, music therapist, registered respiratory therapist, and psychiatrist.
Physician services are available 24/7. There are usually two physicians who work on the palliative care unit daily and there is a physician on-call afterhours. The physicians have education and expertise in managing difficult symptoms such as pain and breathlessness. They are also comfortable in assisting with challenging conversations and developing palliative care treatment plans that are aligned with patients’ wishes.
Wellness Programming
Wellness programming on the PCU is an inter-professional collaborative effort designed to improve quality of life of patients in the time they are with us.
We recognize that honouring a person’s individuality as well as supporting their day-to-day quality of life, can have a monumental impact on their end of life experience. Our palliative care social worker, in partnership with the recreational therapy team and spiritual care team, works to learn what is most important to each person, at this stage in life and try to ensure that these wishes are supported to the best of their ability.
We offer ongoing recreational programming to patients who are able to mobilize, including activities such as bingo, arts and crafts and music. A specific Reminiscence Therapy group is available to palliative care patients which focuses on activities which patients may have enjoyed previously and provides a chance for them to share about their lived experiences. For patients who are bedbound, we have 1-1 supports available, including music therapy, mindfulness meditation, bedside activities (word puzzles, book lending, movie watching etc), social interaction by volunteers and pet therapy.
Each patient/family member is given the opportunity to complete a document which asks questions about who the patient was, prior to their hospitalization. The goal is to get to know our patients better, as individuals. The completed document is posted in the patient’s room for staff to reference as they interact with patients and provide care. We will utilize the information provided as a way to support our patients and try to create joy every day. For example, if it is identified that a patient enjoys a certain type of music, we will use a radio to play that music for the patient on a regular basis.
Our unit is located on the same floor as our rooftop garden which allows patients and families to enjoy fresh air and nature, weather permitting. The rooftop includes tables and chairs in order to have meals, a maintained garden and an accessible seated swing. Group programming is run on the rooftop during warmer months and the chaplain/palliative social worker are available to sit with patients to allow them to enjoy the fresh air.
Families and friends are also encouraged to bring small items from home which may bring the patient joy. Each room is equipped with a magnetic bar to allow for pictures and messages from loved ones to be hung. We support special requests from patients including bringing in food, alcoholic beverages (with approval) and the visitation of pets.
Palliative Care Unit Gallery
