Palliative Care

Palliative care is a specialized approach to promote the quality-of-life of all patients living with advanced illnesses. Whether you are newly diagnosed, undergoing treatment, or living with chronic disease, it is appropriate to meet a palliative care team who will focus on your symptom needs and maintain the continuity of your care. 

Our interdisciplinary team engages patients and families as the centres of the care team and provides holistic care.

At North York General Hospital, the Freeman Centre for the Advancement of Palliative Care has many components to meet your needs:

  1. Ambulatory pain and symptom management clinic
  2. Inpatient admission at North York General Hospital for acute symptom management
  3. Inpatient consultation service for any patients admitted to North York General Hospital
  4. Home (Outreach) Cancer palliative care program of physicians and clinical nurse specialist who work closely with the Community Care Access Centre (CCAC)

Preparing for palliative care

What to expect

  • You will receive expert care from the palliative care team to relieve pain and other distressing physical symptoms.
  • Relief of spiritual, psychosocial, and emotional symptoms at every stage of living with cancer, including end-of-life.
  • Education and assistance with treatment choices and decisions
  • Coordination of support services to facilitate care at home, in hospital, or other settings
  • Counselling and support for patients and families
  • Follow-up during bereavement

Questions for your medical oncologist

  • What is the benefit of having the palliative care team involved in my care?
  • When is it a good time for me to start considering to have the palliative team involved in my care?
  • Will I still receive chemo? 

Learn more about palliative care from:

Please contact the patient navigatoif you would like to learn more.