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One resident walks into the kitchen from her room and sits looking toward the sun streaming in through the solarium. McConkey asks her if she wants tea or coffee. She requests a coffee, which McConkey brings, allowing her to add her own milk and sugar.

Journey Home Hospice is a program of the Saint Elizabeth Foundation, a national charity that supports end-of-life care for vulnerable people across Canada. Hosted by Homes First Society, a Toronto-based charity that provides affordable housing, the hospice is located in the city’s Moss Park neighbourhood and offers 13 beds.

Patients are each provided their own rooms, which includes a personal fridge. Common spaces like a sunroom, rooftop patio, and areas for art therapy are also available. Three meals a day are made on site by volunteers (or personal support workers when volunteers are not available), and there is a snack cart for patients whenever they wish. Visitors — family and friends — are welcome.

“Many times, people living on the streets can be isolated or alone, and the only family they might be in contact with is their street family,” said Nancy Lefebre, senior vice president and COO of Journey Home Hospice. “Our volunteers become part of their, ‘found family’, and are the heart of our hospice,” she said.

To operate the 24-hour hospice, Journey Home relies on volunteers to help in three main areas: greeting visitors, a companion role to spend time with residents, and helping with food prep and baking. “Those kinds of things, like the smell of baked bread, make it feel much more like a home environment,” Lefebre said.

As companions, volunteers engage with patients in a variety of ways — whether it’s watching TV together, listening to music, reading, participating in art therapy, or even going for a walk, if the patient is able. They’re also there in the final moments, providing support until the patient passes away.

McConkey recalls his first experience sitting with a patient who died. “She had a master’s degree in science. She was from another country and came here to try and make it,” McConkey said. “I remember how hard I took that because I got to know her.” 

Volunteers in the companion role donate around 460 hours per month, totalling more than 5,500 hours annually.

Currently, the hospice has 60 dedicated volunteers. “Overall, we need about 150 volunteers, which is why we’re always actively seeking new volunteers,” said Lefebre. She said volunteers go on vacation, take a leave, get sick and “you need a lot of individuals to ensure that there’s coverage for the programs for 24-7.”

Another resident joins the small group in the kitchen. Next, he is doing laps in his wheelchair through the hall and McConkey walks beside him, encouraging him, saying it will help his goal of keeping up his strength.

“I’m not much of a talker,” he said.

Later, he requests a cigarette break, and a volunteer accompanies him outside.

To ensure volunteers are fully prepared, Journey Home Hospice offers mandatory training, as well as ongoing support. “We have lots of supports and resources for our volunteers,” said Lefebre, “All of the supports that we provide to our patients are also there to support staff and volunteers,” she said, “we have regular meetings with volunteers just to check in.”

“There’s a lot of compassion and volunteer centered support for people that are volunteering their time because we’re so deeply grateful for their involvement,” said Lefebre. Volunteers well suited to the companion role, “have to be, nonjudgmental, very open, caring, kind, and patient” she said, adding that anyone interested in volunteering can find information on the website, .

“It’s not a very lively, active place. People are at various stages in their trajectory of health,” said Lefebre, “but there is a lot of living going on here.”