Queensway Carleton Hospital and Foundation

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Queensway Carleton Hospital and Foundation

Welcome to the official page of Queensway Carleton Hospital and Foundation.

01/09/2026

QCH Clinicians Are Turning Care into Connection for People with Dementia.

Back in December, the Meaningful Engagement Resource Guide (MERG), a provincial, evidence-based tool for dementia care, was featured in a national webinar. This guide isn’t just a “nice-to-have”, it’s critical for people living with dementia, especially in busy hospitals where stress, new routines, and overstimulation can trigger distress.

Melissa Laroche, our Advanced Practice Nurse in Geriatrics (right), co-led MERG’s rollout across hospitals, long-term care, and multisector settings. Stephanie Neville, our incredible Recreational Therapist (left), helped design it with compassion and creativity, putting personhood and lived experience first.

Why MERG matters:
✅ Reduces boredom, loneliness & distress
✅ Lowers the use of chemical & physical restraints
✅ Boosts mood, cognition & quality of life
✅ Supports families & care partners for calmer, safer interactions

Learn more about MERG in our latest blog: https://www.qchblog.com/news/2026/1/9/qch-clinicians-are-turning-care-into-connection-for-people-with-dementia

Watch the webinar now! https://vimeo.com/1147710583

01/08/2026

A rent increase that threatened patient care.

In 2004, QCH faced a potential rent increase that would pull funding away from patient care and planned service expansions. The 1973 lease agreed to an annual rent of $23,000, but with the lease up in 2013, federal rules required the NCC to charge market rate rent — estimated at $350,000 a year. In 2006, the lease was amended to extend through July 2048 at an annual cost of $1.

Read more on our blog https://www.qchblog.com/50-stories-in-50-years/2026/1/8/story-11-remember-when-rent-dropped-to-1

Story 11 of 50: Unlocking the Capsule.

01/07/2026

**Viral Season Update**

We are currently experiencing higher patient volumes this viral season.

The hospital is operating at 116% overall occupancy, with medicine units at 140%, and 29 patients in the ED who are awaiting inpatient beds. When the hospital gets this busy, wait times in Emergency can be longer as there is less available space to see new patients coming in the door.

Our teams are working incredibly hard to ensure every patient receives safe, high-quality care.

Care options for non-urgent health concerns:

💠Health811 – Call 811 or access 24/7 online chat with a registered nurse for health advice and referrals to services: ontario.ca/health811
💠Your primary care provider
💠Walk-in clinics
💠Your local pharmacist – Pharmacists can assess and help treat minor ailments such as cold sores, urinary tract infections, skin rashes, allergies, pink eye, insect bites, and more.
💠Mental health support – Distress Centre of Ottawa: 613-238-3311 | Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868

Our Emergency Department is always here for urgent care. If you are experiencing a life-threatening condition, please call 911 or go to your nearest Emergency Department.

Please visit our website for more information: https://www.qch.on.ca/EmergencyDepartment

Thank you for your patience. Thank you for supporting our amazing staff who are working hard to provide every patient with quality care💙

01/06/2026

🎉 QCH is turning 50 this year and we want to celebrate with you through our new monthly 50/50 Lottery.

January’s jackpot is growing by the minute! Start the new year with us—get your tickets at QCH5050.COM and subscribe to keep the celebration going all year long! 💜

Don’t miss out on your chance to win cash!
Early Bird Draw – January 16
Jackpot Draw – January 30

01/06/2026

The QCH Emergency Department team was gifted these wonderful handmade holiday/thank-you cards from Grade 7 students at All Saints Catholic High School. 💙❤️ Thank you so much for this thoughtful and caring gesture.

01/01/2026

Happy New Year From QCH!🎇💙 Each month, we’ll be sharing a Community Calendar that highlights faith-based, cultural, and professional observances.

This initiative is part of our ongoing work to honour the diversity of our teams and communities, deepen awareness, and foster a culture of belonging at QCH. We know that meaningful inclusion is more than recognition alone, it’s about learning, reflection, and respect for the many identities and experiences that shape who we are together. Check out what's happening this month!

12/30/2025

Unveiled in 2015, the stained-glass window was dedicated in memory of Daniel Bissessar, who passed away suddenly on January 1, 2012, at the age of four and a half. In the video, former QCH Chaplain Barbara Zerter shares the story behind the stained-glass window in our sacred space.

The stained-glass window created in Daniel’s memory continues to shine as a reminder that compassion and care endure, even through loss.

Read more on our blog! https://www.qchblog.com/50-stories-in-50-years/2025/12/30/story-10-when-the-stained-glass-was-unveiled-in-the-sacred-space

12/25/2025

Knitting for Newborns this holiday season!

At QCH, some of the smallest patients are being wrapped in a whole lot of love, one stitch at a time. Meet Shirley Arnold, a passionate knitter who donated handmade car seat blankets and festive Christmas and Hanukkah hats for newborns born at QCH. Thank you for your generosity, time and care!

Read the full story here: https://www.qchblog.com/news/2025/12/17/knitting-for-newborns

12/24/2025

Our team loves holiday sweaters! Every Wednesday this month, teams pulled out their best festive sweaters.

Which one is your favourite?

We hope everyone has a fun and safe holidays!

12/23/2025

The 2022 derecho storm brought down a 150-year-old oak tree at the west entrance of QCH. A loss for the hospital turned into an opportunity for local Ottawa carpenter Tim Holland (TH Custom Woodwork)
With QCH’s support, Tim transformed the wood into hundreds of one-of-a-kind, handcrafted charcuterie boards. The charcuterie boards were listed as part of the 2022 Hope Returns Auction, raising $15,000.

There are still more boards available if you’re looking for a meaningful gift or a treat for yourself. Proceeds go to the QCH Foundation and support patient care. Check them out: https://trellis.org/charcuterie

Read more about this story in our latest blog: https://www.qchblog.com/50-stories-in-50-years/2025/12/19/story-9-remember-when-a-fallen-tree-was-reborn-as-charcuterie-boards

12/22/2025

In the ICU, healing is about more than .

Did you know that our Intensive Care Unit uses a care approach called NSPADESS (Nutrition, Sedation, Pain, Agitation, Delirium, Early Mobility, Sleep, Supports)? A simple checklist that helps our teams make sure every patient’s needs are being met, not just their medical ones.

Each month, our ICU team focuses its continuous learning activities on one part of NSPADESS. This month’s focus is nutrition, highlighting how vital proper nourishment is to recovery.

With support from our and speech-language pathologists, staff gather for quick learning huddles at the bedside, strengthening teamwork and keeping patient-centred care front and centre.

It’s one more way our ICU teams are learning, growing, and caring — together. 💪

12/19/2025

A Final Wish Granted: The Unforgettable Baptism

Ed Montano, Spiritual Care Practitioner, at QCH, has supported patients and families through some of their most vulnerable moments. Ed shares one unforgettable experience: organizing a baptism for a patient nearing the end of life. It’s a powerful glimpse into the compassionate role that the spiritual care and palliative care teams play every day.

Read the full story: https://www.qchblog.com/50-stories-in-50-years/2025/12/18/story-8-a-final-wish-granted

Spiritual Care During the
We know this time of year can bring joy and emotional strain. The Spiritual Care team is here to support not only our patients and families, but also our staff.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need support. You can visit the Care website for more information and resources, or stop by the Spiritual Care Office next to the Gift Box on the main level: https://www.qch.on.ca/SpiritualCare

Address

3045 Baseline Road
Ottawa, ON
K2H8P4

Website

http://www.qchfoundation.ca/

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