Registration
Guests at the House must be registered before staying overnight. We request that registration take place daily between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. If you are unable to register during this time, please contact the House to make other arrangements.
Please keep the House staff informed of any changes in your situation – especially where you can be reached in an emergency and any major changes in the medical condition of your loved one.
Room Availability
Please check with the House Manager if you need to leave the House for more than one night.
Check-Out
Please let us know as soon as you know when you may be leaving. We appreciate if you can check out in early afternoon but let us know if that is not convenient. You are also welcome to stay in the House while you wait for transportation after you check out.
Sign In/Sign Out
Please sign in and out at the Reception Desk as you come and go. This is so we may reach you in times of need, for fire safety and so on.
Hours of Operation
Guests may come and go as they wish. Please take note that the east doors are alarmed between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m. and the reception desk is staffed from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. A Night Manager is available after hours for emergency situations only, please.
Visitors
Visitors should sign in and out at the Reception Desk and should respect the House guidelines. Visiting hours are from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Security
Please note that you are responsible for anything left in your room. A key to the safe in your room is available for a refundable deposit. Please allow staff and volunteers to open the doors.
Fire Exits
As soon as you check in please familiarize yourself and your family members with the fire plan, found on the back of your bedroom door,.
Prohibited Items
Smoking: Please don’t smoke in the House. Smoking is allowed outside in designated areas and all smoking materials must be disposed of in the proper containers.
Alcoholic Beverages: There are to be no alcoholic beverages consumed on the premises except for specifically sanctioned functions.
Illegal Drugs: Only physician-prescribed controlled drugs may be permitted.
Entertainment
There is a TV in each family room, as well as a TV and DVD player in the living room for guest use. In addition, there is free Wi-Fi in each family room.
Bikes
Hamilton has a bike share program, SoBi Hamilton. There is a hub across the street from the House and at the three other hospitals (St. Joe’s, McMaster and the Juravinski) as well as many other locations throughout the city. There is a ‘casual rider’ option available for a fee of $4/hour. Check their website at www.hamilton.socialbicycles.com. You may want to bring your helmet from home if you wish to take advantage of the bike program.
Telephone
There is a telephone in each guest room for incoming calls and for local calls. Calling cards for long distance calls are available at the front desk.
Housekeeping
Your bathroom will be cleaned by staff and volunteers every four days.
Please dispose of soiled diapers in the proper receptacle. Plastic garbage bags are available for disposal of garbage. Please leave bagged garbage outside of your room for disposal.
Laundry
There is a coin-operated laundry room available for guest use ($1 per load). Laundry detergent and dryer sheets are available in the guest laundry room. Please empty the lint filter in the dryer after each use.
If you require clean linens during your stay, please ask a staff member or volunteer to provide you with some.
Food and Drink
We ask that you confine eating and drinking to the kitchen, living room or outdoor dining patios to help us maintain the cleanliness of our rooms. Bottled water is acceptable.
Kitchen
Just like at home, we appreciate when you clean up after yourself. The House supplies certain food items for the kitchen in the pantry and meals are provided from time to time. Signs are posted if dinner is being provided that evening.
We ask that you rinse and stack dirty dishes in the dishwasher for the purpose of infection control. Pots and pans may be washed by hand.
There are storage bins for dry food and items that need refrigeration for each room. Labels are provided for items that won’t fit in the bins. We ask that you keep all food in the kitchen and you refrain from using kitchen appliances in the guest rooms (i.e. no hotplates, etc.)
Children
Children are the responsibility of their parents or legal guardian at all times as we are not able to provide babysitting services.
Quiet Hours
Quiet hours are in effect from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. Please turn down televisions and other entertainment equipment, keep voices lowered and close doors quietly. Any children not in bed should be resting quietly with their parents. When your children are awake in the morning, please be sure they play quietly so that those guests who have had a long night at the hospital can get some rest. Children up early in the morning must be accompanied by their parents in the common areas, including the outdoor patio. Please, as courtesy to guests, do not do laundry after 10 p.m.
Pets
Animals are not allowed in the house, except for service dogs.
Dress Code
Please maintain neat and decent attire. Nightwear should not be worn outside your guest room.
Medical Assistance
The Mark Preece Family House is designated for guests who are able to take care of their own personal needs. If you are unable to care for yourself, you must provide your own caregiver. In the event of a medical emergency, contact the Reception Desk or call 911.
Energy Conservation
When leaving your guest room, or any other unoccupied area, please turn off television, radio, lights, kitchen appliances, etc. Help us keep our utility bills down and conserve energy.
Damage or Accidents
Please report any damage or accidents promptly to the Reception Desk or the House Manager directly.
Parking
Guests of the Mark Preece Family House are able to park in the Hamilton Health Sciences parking lot behind the House. Please call the House for more information.
Confidentiality
The Mark Preece Family House staff and volunteers do not give out information about guests. If you wish to maintain friendships with other guests, you must exchange contact information before you leave.
Ability to Stay
Guests who violate any of the written House policies may be asked to leave the House.
We thank you in advance for your compliance to these House Guidelines. We welcome your comments and suggestions.