Hospice care is … animated
In addition to Hospice UK’s new animation, a number of hospices released new animations and films during the week which help show what hospice care is, and what it means to those receiving care – we’ve collected a number of these in a YouTube playlist.
Hospice care is … photogenic
Hospices (including St Richard’s, John Taylor, St Helena, and Saint Francis, to name just a few) asked staff, volunteers, patients, families and supporters to share what hospice care means to them and captured the results in photo galleries and short videos.
Other hospices used chalkboards to ask people to share what hospice care means to them. St Luke’s in Plymouth installed a giant blackboard at one of its charity shops and asked people to suggest what #hospicecareis …
Hospice care is … getting out and about
Hospices, including St Giles and Cornwall Hospice, went on tour, visiting various events and locations to showcase the work they do and discover the views of local people about hospice care.
Cornwall Hospice Care went on the road with the #MakingMemories tour, inviting people to make a memory in the form of a photograph and hear about the inspirational people who are proud to say I am Cornwall Hospice Care.
Head of communications Tamsin Thomas explains: “We’re keen to share our story by explaining how our work gives people valuable time to make more memories with their loved ones. We’re going to invite people to make a memory in the form of a small photograph taken and printed on the spot. The message behind this is that our charity and our inspirational people help ensure our patients have time to make valuable memories in comfort with their families and friends.”
Hospice care is … inviting people in
Hospices, including Martin House and LOROS, also held open days, inviting local people to come into the hospice and find out more about what is on offer.
Martin House chaplain, Mark Clayton, said: “It is important to us as an organisation to be able to show supporters how their money has made Martin House what it is today.”
In Kent, a group of 20 ambassadors – including Hospice UK chairman Lord Michael Howard – visited ellenor to discover more about what the hospice does and the support it gives more than 2,000 families each year.
Hospice care is … social
Lots of hospices used social media to help spread the word about what #hospicecareis
One of the top tweeters was Ashgate Hospicecare who, during a five-day ‘tweet-a-thon’ (#AshgateLive), shared photos and updates from the hospice, its nurses at Chesterfield Royal Hospital, and its community teams, showing what an average day looks like for staff, volunteers, patients.
On Facebook, St Vincent’s Hospice posted a photo each day from different areas of the hospice to highlight the many and varied aspects of hospice care.
Hospice care is … blogging
A number of members of staff from Sue Ryder’s hospices wrote blogs for the week, explaining what hospice care means to them. Louise Reah, clinical nurse specialist at Manorlands Hospice, wrote that “hospice care is… my dream job” while nursing assistant Natalie said “hospice care is… my calling”
St Helena Hospice asked some of the individuals they support to write blogs to share their story and explain what hospice care means to them.
Elsewhere, Gillian Sherwood, director of clinical services at The Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice, wrote a blog about why there is much to celebrate in Hospice Care Week.
Hospice care is … expanding
Hospices also used the week to launch new services or expanded existing care.
LOROS announced that it is set to expand its services into the Rutland community, with doctors from the hospice providing clinics at Uppingham Surgery, with counselling and bereavement support and education services.
Pilgrims Hospices launched a new wellbeing and social programme, which aims to help people with a life-limiting illness to access the support they need earlier. Therapeutic, creative and social programme will be available, alongside support for patients to plan their future care and practical, emotional and social support for carers.
While Treetops Hospice Care launched new weekly wellbeing days, which will offer bespoke sessions and workshops such as relaxation techniques, fatigue management, gentle exercise and creative therapies.
“Everyone who attends will develop their own personal plan and goals, either short or long term. They will then be supported by our team of nurses and occupational therapist to achieve these,” explained Julie Mehigan, day care services manager.
“We’ll be offering a wide range of sessions from how to sleep well to healthy eating and more. We know this will make a big difference to people’s lives.”
Why not tell us what you got up to during Hospice Care Week 2016 by adding a comment below?
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