Getting care

Call 204-555-0142 at any hour, day or night. You do not need a referral, and you do not need to know what to ask for. If your doctor or nurse would rather make the call, they can.

A wide, calm river in late autumn reflecting a blue sky, with clay banks, spruce, bare elms, and houses along the far shore.

Who the house is for

  • You are living with an illness that cannot be cured, and treatment is now about comfort.
  • You are registered with the regional palliative care program, or willing to be. We can help with that.
  • Your care needs can be met in a home setting, with a nurse in the house and a physician who visits daily.
  • Your doctor expects the time ahead to be weeks or a few months rather than years.
  • You live anywhere in Winnipeg. There is no charge, and no one is turned away for lack of money.

If you are not sure whether you or your person qualifies, call anyway. The admissions nurse would rather talk it through than have you wait.

How admission works

Most families go from the first call to a room in about a week. You will only need to tell your story once, and we will take it from there with your doctor and the palliative care program.

A woman with red hair in a pale blue shirt leans on a counter by a tall window, smiling at something off to one side.
Renée Beaulieu, RN, Director of Care. She or one of the admissions nurses makes the first call.
  1. Registration

    Your doctor or nurse practitioner registers you with the regional palliative care program. If you have no family doctor, call us and we will help.

  2. A call within one business day

    Renée Beaulieu or one of the admissions nurses calls to hear what is happening and what you want.

  3. A visit

    We come to you, at home or in hospital, to talk about the house, the room, and the first few days.

  4. A room, usually within a week

    If none is free, Bur Oak at Home helps in the meantime, and we call the moment one opens.

Your first day

What to bring

  • Clothes you feel like yourself in
  • A blanket, photos, or anything that makes a room yours
  • Your medications and the list that goes with them
  • Your health card
  • A pet, by arrangement

What we provide

  • A private room with its own bathroom and a pull-out bed
  • Meals cooked to your appetite, at the hours you want them
  • A nurse in the house at every hour
  • Laundry, linens, and toiletries
  • Wi-Fi, a television if you want one, and a quiet room for family

Questions families ask

Is there a cost?

No. The room, meals, nursing, and physician care are free to residents and families. The house is paid for by public funding and by donations.

Can I stay overnight?

Yes, for as many nights as you like. Every room has a pull-out bed, and the kitchen is open to you day and night.

Can our dog visit?

Yes, by arrangement. Talk to the nurse in charge when you arrive. Most days there is at least one dog in the house.

What if we change our minds?

You can leave at any time, and you can come back. People sometimes go home for a stretch when things settle. The admissions nurse stays in touch.

Is there spiritual care?

Yes. Our spiritual care coordinator works with people of any faith and none, and will contact your own clergy, elder, or community if you would like.

Do you offer medical assistance in dying?

Yes. Residents who choose medical assistance in dying can receive it at the house through the provincial MAID team. Our staff support the resident and their family before, during, and after.

Talk to the admissions nurse

204-555-0142

Any hour, day or night.

care@buroakhospice.ca