Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Guide

Paediatric hospice provides specialist respite, emergency, palliative, and end-of-life care to children with life threatening conditions. It addresses physical, psychosocial, spiritual, cultural and practical issues, and their associated expectations / concerns on an individual, patient, and family centred basis.  To accomplish this, it brings a range of professional skills and services under one roof to offer care and support to family members. (adapted from: Centre for Advancing Palliative Care)

Palliative Care is interdisciplinary, holistic, and specialized approach to medical care for people with serious illnesses. It is focused on providing patients with relief from symptoms, pain, and the stress of serious illness, regardless of their medical diagnosis or prognosis. The goal of Palliative Care is to improve the quality of life for both the patient and the family.

Although Palliative Care often supports at “End of Life”, they also support individuals throughout their illness journey and individuals do not need to be at end of life to benefit from the philosophy and supports offered from Palliative Care. (adapted from: Centre for Advancing Palliative Care)

Although “End of Life” can have different meanings in different contexts, it is generally thought of as the time that occurs before an individual’s death from a process that is unlikely to be stopped by medical care. This is the time after which there is no further medical treatment focused on ‘treating’ or curing an illness where that illness will lead to an individual’s death.

The term “Children with Medical Complexity”, or CMC, is the term generally used in Ontario and is defined by the Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Health (PCMCH).

This term is recognized in funding and research spheres and for services provided within the Durham Region Complex Care Program.

To be eligible for Complex Care for Kids Ontario, the child must be under 18 years of age and must meet criterion from four of five categories including:

• Technology dependence and/or use of high intensity care
• Medical fragility
• Chronicity
• Complexity
• Geography

According to the Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Health (PCMCH), children who are technology dependent include children who:

1. are dependent on mechanical ventilators, and/or require prolonged IV administration of nutritional substances or drugs and/or expected to have prolonged dependence on other device-based support. For example: tracheostomy tube care, artificial airway, suctioning, oxygen support, or tube feeding.
2. have prolonged dependence on medical devices to compensate for vital bodily functions, and require daily/near daily nursing care. For example: cardiorespiratory monitors; renal dialysis due to kidney failure.
3. are completely physically dependent on others for activities of daily living (at an age when they would not otherwise be so dependent).
4. requires constant medical or nursing supervision or monitoring, medication administration and/or the quantity of medication and therapy they receive.

Through the generosity of the West Whitby Landowners Group (WWLG), we are in the process of assessing and securing land in Whitby, Ontario. The proposed land is at the northwest corner of Des Newman Dr and Dundas St. This location fronts onto Hwy 2 / Kingston Rd transit corridor and is easily accessible to Highway 401, 407 and 412.

Sloane’s House will be designed as a welcoming and warm place for children, youth and their families to come for respite and/or hospice care. Sloane’s House aims to have 8 beds initially, with a plan to grow to 10.

The physical building location for Sloane’s House is pending on land site approval and funding approval from the Government of Ontario. While we work towards the building plan, we are exploring and initiating programs that support families in our community. In addition, we are hosting events and cultivating community partnerships. Fundraising support from the community is also vital in this process.

We are exploring all possible options for Sloane’s House, while keeping in mind that paediatric respite and hospice care is a unique service that provides specialized care for children, youth and their families. We are building partnerships within the community at Sick Kids Hospital, Grandview Kids, Lakeridge Health and other local partners through the Complex Care Program.

We recognize economic and competing pressures in our community, and our intention is to limit the risks we face in the ongoing plan and operation of Sloane’s House.

We understand that the launching of our Capital Campaign and the pressure of inflation attached to the building phase may need re-evaluation, as that process begins.

All local and provincial government representatives are provided with ongoing updates and have demonstrated they understand and support the urgent need for families in Durham Region.

Sloane’s House will prioritize infants, children, and youth with medical complexity who live within the Regional Municipality of Durham. We will also be accessible for the surrounding underserved communities in the Central East region including Kawartha Lakes, Peterborough and Northumberland. Any resident of Ontario is eligible for care at Sloane’s House if they meet the criteria and space is available.

The services at Sloane’s House will include:

• Respite Care
• Hospice / Palliative Care
• Emotional Support / Companionship
• Community Building / Connections
• Spiritual / Bereavement Support

When families and children come to Sloane’s House, they are home. We will ask how they would like to be referenced, and by what name they would like to be called. Children and youth will be our first reference, however, when grant writing is involved, we may use the word “patient”. The language may vary depending on the audience.

A team of trained and accredited professionals with expertise in providing holistic and family-focused hospice and respite care will be the primary caregivers at Sloane’s House.

Community volunteers who are trained and screened will be welcomed as a supportive member of the team with the intention to enrich the experience children, youth and their families have at Sloane’s House.

Currently, Sloane’s House employs an Executive Director and an Administrative Assistant.  All other roles are filled by the volunteer Board of Directors, committee members or contracted suppliers. As we continue to move our plans forward, we will evaluate the need of other staff and hire accordingly.

Support from the community is key to the success of Sloane’s House. The goal is for our community to realize this vision through:

• Advocacy for the mission
• Bringing your skills to the table
• Community participation at events
• Donations or monthly contributions

Sloane’s House is a registered non-profit charity in the Province of Ontario; Charitable Registration: #80949 3430 RR0001. Donations are essential and a key asset to the building plan and ongoing operations. https://www.sloaneshouse.org/ways-to-give/

Our goal is to ensure eligible families are ensured access to the services that Sloane’s House offers.

At present, Sloane’s House relies on donations to fund its operations. Once the building opens, we anticipate that Sloane’s House will be funded through a mixture of government funding and donations. Even with financial support from the government, Sloane’s House will need to raise approximately $1.2 million annually through donations to support the initial operation of 8 beds and other services.

Yes. We are actively researching and applying for grants, and exploring every avenue for funding

The projected capital fundraising goal at this time is $15 million, the majority of which will have to be raised through donations.

We continue to reach out to various partners to build relationships in our community that will support current services, events and future programs.

We are exploring all possible options for Sloane’s House when it comes to these types of agreements with other organizations.