Transitioning to adult care

Many young people and their families have been coming to the Children’s for years and are very familiar with how things are done here. A lot of them have come to know their nurses, doctors and other members of their healthcare team very well. Moving on to adult care can therefore be challenging to some patients. To help our patients get ready to make the change, we help them through a variety of stages called transition. This gradual preparation for care at an adult hospital can sometimes last several years.

We try to introduce the idea to our patients early so that the process of transitioning to adult care can be as smooth as possible. There is not one standard process for transition and currently, each health care team at the Children’s handles transition preparation a little bit differently. 

We are working on developing a series of guided steps and information packages that can be used throughout the hospital. They include things called Transition Preparation Tools: a Medical Passport and Transfer Readiness Checklists. These have all been created to help our patients understand their illness well so that they are prepared for the next phase when they meet the people who will help them manage their health in the future. We want our patients to become comfortable asking questions, expressing concerns and taking care of their everyday needs.  When they move to adult care we want them to be able talk easily to their new doctors and nurses.

Leading up to a patient’s transition, our health care teams will help young people learn about their new hospital and the health care providers who work there. We’ll help them book their first appointments with their new team. We’ll also help family members prepare for the transition.

Looking ahead, our move to the new McGill University Health Centre in 2015 will help simplify our patients’ transition to adult care, since the MCH will be located on the same site as the adult hospitals.

Living a healthy life with chronic conditions: the MUHC's chronic disease self-management program (My Tool Box)

My Tool Box is a free 6-week program for individuals living with chronic disease and their loved ones. The program is designed to teach people the skills they need to live well with chronic health conditions such diabetes, heart disease, asthma, arthritis, cancer, MS, muscular dystrophy, stroke, hypertensiand chronic pain. These fun, practical and interactive workshops emphasize coping strategies and practicals skills.

The Montreal Children's Hospital's Family Resource Library: books and resources on transition

The Family Resource Library, a bright, modern space located in Room C-542, is an area that was renovated in 2000 to be an attractive and welcoming place for parents and patients alike. The above website allows parents and patients to reserve books and consult health-related websites easily. 

Transition from pediatric to adult health care for young adults who have an intellectual impairment

Information evenings for parents of young adults who have an intellectual impairment are held twice yearly, once in June and once in November. Guest speakers include an attorney, a notary and a financial advisor, as well as a parent who has lived through the experience.  Health care delivery in the pediatric and adult settings is described by two McGill University Health Centre (MUHC)  nurses.  A representative from WIAIH (West Island Association for the Intellectually Handicapped), a community organization which provides services throughout the island of Montreal describes the many services offered by their organization.

Please email [email protected] if you want to receive notification of the next session.