Palliative Care

About the Palliative Care Program

The program provides consultative and clinical services to children with life-limiting illnesses and progressive decline in health status. The palliative care team works closely with other CHEO services and community partners, including Roger Neilson Children's Hospice, the pediatric hospice, located on the grounds of CHEO.

Palliative care services that can be provided include:

Assistance with decision-making
Bereavement support – provided to siblings, parents and grandparents
Formal bereavement groups available (visit Roger Neilson Children's Hospice for more information.)
End of life care
Inpatient consultation and follow-up
Outreach to Roger Neilson Children's Hospice and the community at large
Perinatal hospice
Respite
Symptom assessment
Transition to home
Visiting home hospice
Education, debriefing and support to professionals

About the Palliative Care team

Who we are

Palliative Care Program Physicians

The physicians are part of the CHEO Palliative Care Outreach providing 24/7 days a week on-call and in-house consultation for families and medical team, clinical resource to CHEO Palliative Care Program, and symptom management specialist.

Registered Nurses

Registered Nurses on Call work closely with the physician team in hospital and in the community to support families and children as well as colleagues along the trajectory of illness. The On-Call Team is available 24/7 via CHEO Locating

Social Workers

The social workers provide education and support to health professionals, children/youth, and families experiencing life-threatening illnesses and end of life issues. They provide counselling, grief and bereavement support, act as a liaison with social service organizations and provide assistance to access community resources.

Administration

The Roger Neilson Children's Hospice administration team holds joint positions, overseeing the CHEO and Roger Neilson Children's Hospice teams.

The CHEO Palliative Care Team is complimented by the Roger Neilson Children's Hospice.

We can help you by:

Being available to you and your primary care team 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Collaboration with your medical team to coordinate services and supports
Giving emotional and bereavement support
Helping you to make memories and create a legacy for your child or teen
Linking eligible families with Roger Neilson Children's Hospice services and supports
Managing symptoms
Offering ethical counseling to help you work through choices and decisions
Offering home and in-hospital visits
Supporting other professionals caring for your family and child or teen

Who services are available to:

Children and youth under the age of 18 who have a life-limiting illness with progressive decline
Families who are willing to face (with support of our team) the challenging issues that comes with a child’s illness and death
Families whose primary care team supports a referral to palliative care
Includes women/couples who have received an antenatal diagnosis of severe fetal abnormality

Referral process

Services of the CHEO Palliative Care Team are seamless and available in hospital, home or hospice 24/7.

Children and youth in Eastern and Northern Ontario, Western Quebec and Nunavut have access to the supports and services of the team.

Ottawa Health Services Network Inc. (OHSNI) coordinates medical specialists and tertiary health care in Ottawa and Iqaluit for children of the Baffin region of Nunavut. While in Ottawa, OHSNI supports the palliative care team and assists in coordinating services while children are in Ottawa.

How to make an appointment

If you would like to make a referral to the Palliative Care Program, please contact the nurse or physician on call. They can be reached by calling CHEO at 613-737-7600, dial 0 and ask that the palliative care nurse or physician on-call be paged.

Please call Roger Neilson Children's Hospice at 613-523-6300 ex. 4600 for further information.