Jewish-founded, Neshama Hospice is open to people of all faiths and backgrounds.
Research shows that dying people find the most comfort when immersed in a culturally familiar environment. Jewish life and holidays will be integrated into the patient experience and Jewish life cycle events, celebrated. The care team will be familiar with kosher practices. Spiritual care will be accessible to patients and families. Neshama Hospice is anchored in three Jewish values:
Acts of kindness (gemilut chesadim),
Repairing the world (tikkun olam),
Visiting the sick (bikur cholim).
Neshama Hospice will strengthen an already existing Jewish-founded end-of-life care network that includes Jewish Family and Child’sJewish Hospice Program, Temmy Latner Palliative Care services through Sinai Health and Baycrest’s palliative care unit. Jewish-founded organizations serving residents of all cultural and religious backgrounds have played a vital role in building and strengthening our city. Hospitals, community centres, homes for the aged, immigration and employment services, all founded by visionary Jewish community leaders are examples of what we are able to achieve together.
Leading the Way
Together we are building compassionate communities. Leveraging outstanding clinical leadership, Neshama will be a Centre of Excellence and serve as a training ground for health-care providers who want to serve end-of-life patients as part of an inter-professional clinical team.
Neshama Hospice will be part of the fabric of North York’s health-care community. We will partner with social services, hospitals and other health providers to be part of a continuum of care for patients and their families. Together with our community partners, we will share and build on best practices to best serve patients, families and our community.
We will collaborate with Jewish Family and Child Services, North York General Hospital’s Freeman Centre for the Advancement of Palliative Care, the North York Toronto Health Partners and others.
Our facility
Neshama Hospice will be a purpose-built facility located in a quiet neighbourhood that will evoke a home-like environment including peaceful gardens, private family areas and opportunities for patients to personalize their space.
12 private single rooms for each resident; structural measures to maintain residents’ privacy; designated space for private and confidential interactions. Each resident’s room will contain a double bed (electric); a bedside table; a closet and drawer space for day-to-day clothing; a visitor’s chair; a phone; a microwave: functioning patio door which opens to the outside; emergency and room communication; a wheelchair accessible doorway; a private washroom with shower, toilet and sink and a functioning patio door which opens to a private outdoor patio area.
The open areas of the hospice include designated space for: kosher kitchen, eating area, quiet area, living/common area, tub and/or shower room, visitor’s washroom, caregiver private lounge and washroom, caregiver meeting/charting area, private dedicated secure space for medication storage and preparation, administrative office, children’s play area, access to garden/green space, large meeting/training room, Laundry room, storage room, large chapel/multi-faith room.
