What Arcadia's palliative home care involves
Palliative home care is not a standard service delivered in a standard way. The needs of someone in the early stages of a serious illness are different from those of someone in the final weeks of life, and the people providing care need both clinical competence and the human capacity to be present without agenda in difficult circumstances.
Arcadia's palliative support is built around what the family and care team identify as the greatest gaps in the current plan. Here is what it typically includes:
Overnight and 24-hour presence
Consistent overnight coverage so the person is never alone and family caregivers can sleep. Around-the-clock care when the situation requires it.
Personal care and comfort
Assistance with bathing, positioning, hygiene, and skin care — provided gently, at the person's pace, with attention to comfort and dignity above all else.
Companionship and presence
Sitting with the person, reading aloud, playing music, or simply being there in silence. Presence matters and is something the clinical team cannot always provide.
Meal support and hydration
Preparing foods that are appetizing and manageable, monitoring intake, and sitting with the person during meals — adapting as appetite and swallowing ability change.
Comfort medication reminders
Prompting comfort medications at the right times and observing for changes in pain, breathing, or distress — communicating promptly with the palliative care team when something shifts.
Mobility and repositioning
Assisting with movement, repositioning for comfort, and ensuring the person is not left in a position that causes distress or skin breakdown.
Respite for family caregivers
Scheduled, reliable relief so family members can rest, attend to their own lives, and be a family member rather than a caregiver for defined periods.
Support through the final stage
Experienced, compassionate presence through end-of-life care — working alongside the palliative team to ensure the person's final days are as peaceful, comfortable, and dignified as possible.
How Arcadia works with your existing palliative team
Private home care in a palliative situation only works well when it is properly connected to the clinical team. Arcadia's caregivers follow the comfort plan established by the palliative nurse and physician, communicate changes in the person's condition promptly, and document what they observe between clinical visits.
Families should not have to carry most of the communication burden between Arcadia and the palliative care team. We coordinate directly with the team — and we make sure everyone involved has the information they need to provide consistent care. Families who need overnight coverage or consistent respite can read more about our overnight and 24-hour care and respite care services.
We are here when you are ready to talk
No forms to fill before you call. Just a conversation about what is happening and what additional support might look like — at whatever pace feels right.
(844) 977-0050Talk to Our TeamWhat families should look for in a palliative home care provider
Not every home care provider is suited to palliative care. Here is what families should expect — and ask about — when evaluating any provider for this kind of support:
Caregivers with genuine experience in this setting
End-of-life care requires a specific temperament — the ability to be present with grief, to work quietly and without agenda, and to provide comfort without false reassurance. Ask any provider directly whether the caregivers they assign to palliative situations have experience in this setting. Any provider worth working with will answer that question honestly.
Clear coordination with the palliative care team
The private caregiver needs to know the comfort plan, understand what symptoms to watch for, and know how to reach the palliative nurse or physician quickly when something changes. Ask how the provider communicates with the clinical team — and what they do when something shifts at 2am.
Flexibility as needs change
The support that is right today may not be right in three weeks. A good provider adjusts hours, caregivers, and the nature of support as the illness progresses — without requiring families to renegotiate everything from scratch. Ask how the provider handles care plan changes and whether they initiate those conversations or wait to be asked.
Genuine support for family caregivers, not just the person who is ill
Family caregivers in palliative situations carry an enormous weight. Ask what the provider does to ensure family members can actually rest — not just that a caregiver is present in theory, but that the family member can genuinely step away when that caregiver is there.
Understanding publicly funded palliative care in Ontario
Ontario Health atHome coordinates publicly funded palliative care in the community — nursing visits, some PSW hours, and access to a palliative care team. For families who are not yet connected to this system, a referral can be made through the family physician or specialist.
The publicly funded hours rarely match what a family needs around the clock — particularly overnight, on weekends, and as the illness progresses toward its final stage. Private home care fills those gaps. Arcadia works alongside Ontario Health atHome, not as a replacement for it, across Toronto, North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, Markham, Richmond Hill, and Mississauga.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions families ask about palliative home care
How does Arcadia work with our existing palliative care team?
We work alongside the palliative care nurse, physician, and any other providers already involved — not instead of them. Our caregivers follow the comfort plan established by the clinical team, communicate changes promptly, and document what they observe so that the treating team has an accurate picture of the person's condition between visits. Coordination is active, not nominal.
What hours can Arcadia provide for palliative support?
We provide care seven days a week, including evenings, overnights, and around-the-clock coverage when needed. The hours we provide are built around the gaps in the current care plan — whether that means a few mornings a week, overnight coverage, or full-time presence as the situation requires.
Can Arcadia support someone who wants to remain at home through the end of life?
Yes — and this is some of the most meaningful work we do. Supporting a person to remain at home through end of life requires consistent presence, good communication between all care providers, caregivers who are experienced and compassionate in this setting, and a family that feels genuinely supported. Arcadia can help provide that support, in coordination with the palliative care team.
How do Arcadia's caregivers approach end-of-life care?
Our caregivers in palliative situations are selected for their experience, temperament, and genuine capacity to be present in difficult circumstances. They are not there to perform tasks and leave — they are there to provide comfort, presence, and practical support in a way that respects the person's dignity and the family's wishes. We brief caregivers thoroughly on the comfort plan, the person's history and preferences, and any clinical considerations before they begin.
What is the difference between what Ontario Health atHome provides and what Arcadia provides?
Ontario Health atHome coordinates publicly funded palliative care — nursing visits, some PSW hours, and access to a palliative care team. That foundation is meaningful, but the hours allocated rarely match what a family needs around the clock. Arcadia fills the gaps — overnight, on weekends, between nursing visits, and as the care needs increase toward the end of life. We work alongside the public system, not as a replacement for it.
What support does Arcadia provide for family caregivers in palliative situations?
Family caregivers in palliative situations carry an enormous weight — practically, emotionally, and often without adequate acknowledgement. Arcadia provides scheduled respite so family members can rest, sleep, and have time away from caregiving without the person being alone. We also support family members in understanding what to expect at each stage and help connect them with bereavement resources when the time comes.