Patient- and family-centred care and comfort.
At Rosedale Hospice, our care is focused on individual patient and family needs. We recognize this can be an emotional transition point in your journey with cancer. We will do everything we can to offer you both support and resources.
Rosedale Hospice Admission Process
Rosedale Hospice provides end-of-life care for adult cancer patients who are no longer able to be at home or no longer require hospital admission. Admission criteria are:
- Cancer diagnosis
- Active, curative treatment has been discontinued (e.g. chemotherapy, radiation)
- Focus is strictly on comfort, with no extraordinary measures required (like resuscitation)
Patient assessment and referral to hospice is completed by the palliative care teams in hospital or home care programs. Waitlists are managed through Alberta Health Services. To learn more about the Alberta Health Services referral process, visit their website: www.albertahealthservices.ca
There is no cost to stay at Rosedale Hospice other than the cost of medications. All patients will be enrolled in the Alberta Blue Cross Palliative Care Health Benefits program, this is a premium free benefit program which covers the cost of most medications required for care.
Our End-of-Life Care Team
Our interprofessional team is specially trained in end-of-life care and will work with you and your family to ensure your unique needs and goals are identified. Our team is made up of:
- 24 hour on-site Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, and Health Care Aides
- Physicians with expertise in hospice and palliative care
- Spiritual Health Practitioner
- Grief Counsellors
- In-house cook
- House keeping and maintenance staff
- Administrative team
- Experienced volunteers
Our Approach to Patient Care
Pain and Symptom Management
Complementary and Alternative Therapies
Hospice Calgary respects patient autonomy and the wish to have allied health practitioners or non-prescribed medications continue to be part of care at Rosedale Hospice. Patients may continue to see their complementary therapists at Rosedale Hospice (e.g. massage therapist, Reiki therapist, alternative health practitioner).
Medication Management
Palliative care doctors are specialists in the treatment of pain. Our experience supports that near the end of life most people do not become addicted to their pain medicine. Staff assess each patient and assure their safety before and after medications are given
Pain and Other Physical Symptoms
Our interprofessional team will work closely with the patient and family to ensure pain and all other physical symptoms are assessed on admission and on an ongoing basis. All symptoms will be managed to the best of the team’s ability until death. For some people pain and other distressing symptoms never develop.
Personal Care
Food Services
Patients will be asked by the nursing staff or the in-house cook for meal choices prior to each meal time. Patient meals are free of charge. There is a nominal cost for meals for families.
Baths
Bed baths are offered daily and our patients can also enjoy a luxury bath in our spa tub, as requested, with assistance by a staff member. Thanks to versatile lifting aids, we are able to safely transfer patients into and out of the bath. Warm blankets are offered post-bath and there is music and battery-operated candles available to complete the calming experience.
Nail Care
We have an optional hand and foot care nurse who can be scheduled through our nursing staff to come and cut patient nails. There is a cost for this service.
Emotional and Spiritual Support
Hospice Calgary promotes an environment where we hope to support our patients and family needs, including emotional and spiritual care. Our Spiritual Health Practitioner is based out of Rosedale Hospice, while our counsellors are based out of the Living With Advanced Illness Centre and will come to Rosedale Hospice as needed. Ceremonial arrangements for patients at Rosedale Hospice can be made through our Spiritual Health Practitioner, including smudging ceremonies.
Counselling and Grief Support Services
We promise to journey with you through end of life and grief for as long as you need us. Individual counselling is available to patients and families for all ages. In addition, after the death of their person, adult family members are offered Volunteer Telephone Bereavement Support through monthly phone calls.
Contemplative Care
At Rosedale Hospice our staff practice contemplative care. Contemplative practice in palliative care involves cultivating mindfulness, emotional self-regulation, and balance in the face of suffering. We turn toward suffering, bear witness and choose wisely our responses to patients, their families and our colleagues. By honouring each phase of dying and death, as well as, those we have lost, our staff are able to be fully present at the bedside of each patient.
Safety Matters
Patient and family safety is of paramount importance to us.
Our building and standards of care are maintained through certification with Accreditation Canada and Continuing Care Health Service Standards, in addition to compliance with legislation pertaining to the provision of health care.
Hospice Calgary has policies and procedures in place to ensure continuity of care and personal safety in the event of any situation (e.g. fire, infectious diseases, unexpected disruption of services).
Hospice Calgary has a process in place for managing incidents which may impact patient or visitor safety. This will include disclosure and support to patients and families.
We invite patient and family feedback both during and after the patient stay at Rosedale Hospice.
Patient Equipment
Hospice Calgary provides and maintains equipment and supplies for its patients and our equipment is maintained at high levels with patient safety and comfort paramount.
Patient use of any equipment (e.g. a wheelchair) can be arranged with a staff member, including resourcing equipment that is not readily available at Rosedale Hospice.
Patient Transportation
Arrangement of safe transportation, as required, is supported by Rosedale Hospice.
In the exceptional circumstance that a patient is transferred offsite for a medical reason, Hospice Calgary will arrange inter-facility transport (at no cost to the patient).
If the patient or family members wishes to transport a patient offsite for a social reason, Hospice Calgary staff will work with you to arrange the safest means of transportation (e.g. private vehicle, handi-bus, wheelchair accessible cab). The cost will be the responsibility of the patient/family.
Friends, Family, and Caregivers
Hospice Calgary recognizes that visiting with family and friends is an important factor in our patients’ overall well-being. Jump to our Visitors at Rosedale Hospice page for more information about visiting.