Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is a hospice?

Hospice care focuses on the care, comfort, and quality of life of a person with a serious illness who is approaching the end of life. The Aboyne Rural Hospice will provide round-the-clock support with a holistic focus on nurturing a person’s physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs. 

How does a community acquire a hospice in Ontario?

Building a hospice is a shared effort — the community raises funds, and the province partners to fund the rest. It takes time and dedication, but it means the hospice truly belongs to the people it serves. It is a meaningful journey — one that reflects what this community values and what it is capable of building together.

Will you continue fundraising after the hospice opens?

The Ministry of Health has given Aboyne Rural Hospice the green light, and will contribute to a capital campaign to build the building. After that the Ministry contributes an amount per bed per year, but this does not cover all the costs of having a hospice. Therefore, even after a capital campaign is finished, Aboyne Rural Hospice will continue to fundraise annually to be able to provide a comfortable place and palliative care for end of life in rural Wellington.

Why do we need a hospice for rural Wellington?

Currently, local families must travel to the south end of Guelph or to Waterloo to receive hospice care. This distance can be a barrier to care, especially in bad weather, or for those with no transport or with physical limitations. Aboyne Rural Hospice brings end-of-life care for you and your family closer to home. Furthermore, the proposed site can be easily integrated into our existing local health care framework, with ease of access and overlapping care providers from the three local hospitals, family health teams and elder care facilities.

How many hospice beds will there be in the County?

Hospice Wellington serves the city of Guelph and Wellington County with its ten beds.However, these are not enough to address the need for 9.3 additional beds to service rural Wellington; almost half of the people in our community who need palliative care spend their final days in an acute care hospital bed — away from home and the people they love. Aboyne Rural Hospice will build 10 additional family suites and is approved to start with 6 beds. As the population grows, our hope is to receive approval to also use the other 4 suites.  

What does it cost to stay at a hospice?

At Aboyne Rural Hospice, all services and programs are offered at no cost to residents, program participants and their families. Hospice care allows people to receive attentive, whole-person support without the clinical environment of a hospital — and at no cost to families.

What services are offered at a hospice?

Aboyne Rural Hospice will provide medical care to minimize pain and other symptoms and all other emotional and spiritual support needed in the last stage of life. The new hospice will also offer ongoing bereavement support after death of a loved one for family and friends. 

Why would someone choose end-of-life care in hospice rather than in hospital or home?

Where you want to receive care in the final stages of life should be your choice: at home, the hospital or at a hospice. The hospice setting is designed to be as peaceful as possible and to provide a comfortable environment for caregivers, family and friends to gather, grieve, and cherish the last days of those at the end  of life.  

Aboyne Rural Hospice allows caregivers, friends and family members to shift from being primary caregivers to being present with the person at the end of life. This enables them to take care of their own emotional needs as well as those of the dying person.

What is the difference between palliative care and hospice care?

Palliative care is a broad approach to care that focuses on comfort, quality of life, and symptom management for anyone living with a serious illness — it can begin at any stage of illness, alongside other treatments.

Hospice care is a form of palliative care specifically for people who are nearing the end of life, typically in the final weeks or months. At Aboyne Rural Hospice, the focus shifts entirely to comfort and dignity — supporting the person and their family through this final chapter, free of charge, in a home-like environment.

Am I able to choose Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) at Aboyne Rural Hospice?

Palliative care aims to help you with all the challenges of end of life and the final stages of illness, including pain management, emotional and spiritual support and providing a comfortable place for you and your family. Palliative care can include MAiD, and if you choose and are approved for MAiD, it will be accessible to you at Aboyne Rural Hospice. Please be assured that no resident or care team member would ever be asked to participate in MAiD without their full, freely given consent, however we wish to honour your choices and not have to relocate you in your final days of life.