ABSTRACT
In 2003, Providence Health Care (PHC) in Vancouver, Canada, made a major strategic decision to close St Vincent’s Arbutus, a 75-bed residential care hospital. The decision to close had been expected for years due to aging infrastructure and no longer being able to meet the needs of residents, yet when it was finally announced people were shocked. As in any major transition, many people experienced the stages of grieving – denial, anger, sadness, depression, and eventually acceptance. The staff had been close-knit and there was a huge sense of loss of community, relationships, and dreams.
