Originally opened in 2009, The Dorothy Ley Hospice is an existing, 10-bed palliative care residential facility located on the Trillium Health Partners site opposite Sherway Gardens Mall in Etobicoke.
The purpose of the interior alterations project is to expand the hospice residential capacity from 10 beds to 12 beds through the conversion of two existing under-utilized,
surplus rooms into private care suites meeting MOH space requirements and provide changes to other areas of the facility to improve delivery of care services to residents and their families. The following describes the scope of work in more detail. Refer also to tender drawings and specifications.
The existing children’s playroom and adjacent washroom will be converted into one of the new private care suites and is designed to also serve as an IPAC compliant isolation room complete with its own vestibule. Some of the custom millwork in this room will be relocated to the large activities room on this floor to accommodate the needs of children visitors.
The second room to be converted is an existing den, which is not an MOH defined space requirement. Some additional space will also be absorbed from an existing storage room to meet the MOH space requirements for private care suites. Existing storage space on the floor will be re-organized to further improve efficiency.
The existing quiet room is to be re-located to an original unused therapeutic tub room. The quiet room’s new location provides resident families with added privacy and separation from the resident care suites and will have a barrier-free family washroom and shower conveniently located immediately adjacent as part of a comprehensive dedicated suite serving resident families and friends.
To meet current OBC and AODA requirements, a staff area in the lower level of the hospice, accessed by elevator, will be converted into a wellness room with an ensuite universal washroom serving both staff and visitors.
The existing family shower room will be increased in size to serve residents and will be large enough to accommodate mobility equipment storage. The existing kitchenette will be re-organized as a nutrition alcove opposite the resident care station to free up wasted space for additional supportive device storage. In addition, each resident care suite accommodates its own undercounter refrigerator.
A small laundry facility for emergency use of personal resident and/or visitor items will be relocated from the existing therapeutic tub room to an existing janitor’s closet around the corner. The resident care centre and adjacent staff/medication counter will be re-organized to provide a separate, lockable medication room, staff room/medical staff hub that can accommodate up to 4 staff at permanent workstations and another 4 at a common table suited to touchdown style use with laptops. A new volunteer desk at the junction of the corridors serving the resident care suites completes the renovations in this area.
Existing floor finishes in the resident care area’s corridors and private care suites will be replaced with new finishes and detailing that meets current IPAC requirements. Refer to Separate Prices in the Bid documents. All new surfaces on walls, millwork, and furniture will meet current IPAC requirements. The space is heated with an existing hydronic radiant floor heating system that has been designed to accommodate the proposed alterations.
The area is also served by a make-up air unit that provides 100% conditioned fresh air to balance the 100% exhaust air extracted through continuous fan operation in washrooms. The existing unit is nearing the end of its anticipated service life and will be replaced on the existing rooftop curb with a new unit that offers 50% increased cooling capacity and 18% increase in circulation capacity. This change will address climate control issues at the hospice associated with hot humid weather which is on the increase due to climate change. The isolation room will meet negative air pressure requirements to ensure any infectious contaminants remain contained.
All electrical requirements within the renovated areas will be upgraded to meet current standards and requirements. The alterations also include upgrades to the general surveillance system, nurse call system, and telephone systems.