When Dorothy Ley Hospice opened in 2009, it was a pioneering example of a new vision for palliative care in Ontario toward community-based residential hospice care, which offered an alternative to hospitals and long-term care. Designed by Larkin Architect Limited, the hospice was purpose-built to provide dignified and compassionate end of life care in a home-like setting.
Set within a wooded site overlooking Etobicoke Creek on the Trillium Health Partner’s Sherway Drive campus, the hospice was conceived as a place of calm and belonging. Abundant natural light, calming views to trees, and quiet gathering spaces shape an environment centred on privacy, dignity, and spending quality time together.
In 2023, Larkin Architect Limited was honoured with the opportunity to renew and re-organize the hospice interior to increase resident capacity from 10 to 12 beds and improve day-to-day functionality for medical staff and volunteers. These updates strengthened the hospice’s ability to deliver state-of-the-art care for residents and their families, while remaining true to Dorothy Ley Hospice’s original spirit of warmth, dignity, and compassionate care.
From the moment one enters, the hospice feels more like a home than an institution. A floor to ceiling vertical wall of thriving tropical plants in the front lobby signals that the Dorothy Ley Hospice is a place focused on living. With 12 resident rooms, the hospice brings together care, family gathering spaces, community day programs, respite services, and staff support under one roof.
The layout supports everyday life: families can sit together in living rooms, share meals, or step outside for fresh air. Care unfolds in a setting that feels familiar and humane without compromising professional standards of care.
A floor to ceiling wall of thriving tropical plants signals that the hospice is a place focused on living
Dorothy Ley Hospice’s vision of care extends beyond end-of-life medical care to encompass emotional, spiritual, and relational well-being—for residents, families, and caregivers alike. The architecture supports this holistic approach through generously sized care suites filled with natural light, each designed to accommodate overnight family. Families and caregivers also have access to a dedicated family room with its dedicated washroom and shower, allowing loved ones to remain close by in comfort. Spiritual care and counselling are available to both residents and families, reflecting the hospice’s belief that caring for residents includes caring for their families and friends.
Dedicated wellness and quiet spaces further support moments of rest and respite. For example, a sunlit reflection room provides space for prayer, meditation, or quiet conversation.
At the hospice, professional staff, family, and volunteers work alongside one another in a collaborative model that reflects the hospice’s deeply community-rooted philosophy seeking to provide meaningful connection to all involved.
Shared living, dining, and activity spaces invite families to gather, eat, and remain close together while thoughtfully designed staff and volunteer areas support the many hands involved in daily care.
Volunteers are central to the hospice’s life and meaning it gives to the residents. Companion volunteers spend time with residents—reading, talking, or sharing activities. Others prepare home-cooked meals in a volunteer-supported kitchen. Trained wellness volunteers offer complementary therapeutic services.
Access to nature is an essential part of Dorothy Ley Hospice’s care philosophy. Situated near Etobicoke Creek, the building’s relationship to landscape offers moments of quiet retreat and connection beyond its walls. Views to trees, daylight-filled interiors, and outdoor gathering spaces support reflection and calm, acknowledging the deep connection between human well-being and the natural ecosystems we inhabit. The hospice’s setting reinforces a vision of care grounded in shared stewardship of place—one that is welcoming, inclusive, and attentive to the dignity of every person who enters.