Quality dying initiative

Vision

Dying patients and their family members receive the highest quality of care

Goal

Sunnybrook will implement strategies that are patient/family, staff/clinician and institutionally focused to achieve the highest standard in quality of care for dying patients and their family members

Focus

As a tertiary academic health sciences centre, death and dying are significant elements of our institution's overall patient and family care experience. 

Videos

Quality dying initiative: patient information

End-of-life care: how are decisions made?

Caregiver information

What to expect in the last hours of life

Each person's dying experience is unique and no one can fully know exactly when or how it will occur. We hope this information will help you care for your loved one through their last hours or days of life. This information is meant to guide you through the physical and emotional needs of a dying person and the care we suggest for your loved one to die with as comfortable as possible.

Coping with the death of a loved one

Coping with the death of a loved one is a most difficult task. It is often painful, exhausting, confusing, and difficult to handle. People tell us that it leaves them feeling shocked, numbed, bewildered, lonely, sad, and unable to function. During the next few hours and days, you will be called upon to make many decisions - some you are required to do, others you may choose to do. This information has been prepared to assist you during this difficult period. we hope it will help you cope with the immediate death-related events, your plans for a funeral or service, burial or cremation, and basic legal and financial matters.