North Devon Hospice General leaflet

ABOUT OUR

Specialist Care and Support

being there for all the family

registered charity no. 286554

Contents An introduction to North Devon Hospice’s care and support 1-2 Specialist care and support for our patients • • • • • • • •

Specialist Community Nurses One-to-One Support The Patients’ Support Group ‘It’s Friday’ and ‘It’s Wednesday’ Drop-in Day Hospice Complementary Therapies The Bedded Unit Hospice to Home

Specialist care and support for family members and carers • • • • •

One-to-One Support The Carers’ Group The Bereavement Support Group One-to-One Bereavement Support Complementary Therapies

3-8 4 5 5 5 6 6 7 8

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An introduction to North Devon Hospice’s care and support We offer care and support for people who are affected by cancer and other life-limiting illnesses, such as heart failure, liver failure and motor neurone disease, among others.

We believe in being there for all the family, supporting not only our patients but their loved ones too.

North Devon Hospice has been an independent local charity since 1984 and our

specialist care is only possible thanks to the on-going support from the local community, who help us to raise much needed funds every year so we can continue caring for thousands of families.

We have a range of care and support services specifically for people who are affected by a life-limiting illness. All of our care is completely free of charge.

being there for all the family . www.northdevonhospice.org.uk . 01271 344248

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Ask your GP for a referral

The Long House, Holsworthy

To access any of our services, speak to your GP, or alternatively your District Nurse or hospital doctor about a referral.

The Long House opened its doors in 2015 thanks to fundraising throughout the local community.

This purpose built outreach centre is adjacent to the Holsworthy Medical Centre in Holsworthy. Patients and their families can access a range of supportive care services including one-to-one support, group support and complementary therapies.

Where are we We have been providing care for over 30 years. The majority of our care is provided in peopleÕ s own homes. In addition to the care and support we provide throughout the community, we have teams and services based at two locations.

For Patients

Deer Park, Barnstaple

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Our main site is called Deer Park and is based on the outskirts of Barnstaple. At Deer Park, our patients and their families can access a wide range of care and support services, which includes visiting the Bedded Unit.

North Devon Hospice The Long House Dobles Lane Holsworthy North Devon EX22 6GH Tel: 01271 344248

North Devon Hospice Deer Park Newport Barnstaple North Devon EX32 0HU Tel: 01271 344248

Specialist care and support for our patients In this section, you can find out more about our care and support if you have been recently diagnosed with a life-limiting illness or if you are already receiving treatment.

If you have recently been diagnosed with an illness, or you are undergoing treatment at the moment, there is a range of specialist services to support you during your journey.

Being diagnosed with a life-limiting illness can affect all areas of your life.You may be managing your side effects, juggling the financial impact or trying to come to terms with how you feel.

For Patients 3

How often your nurse visits you will depend on your own needs at the time. You can talk to your nurse at any point about how Our team of nurses specialise the hospice can best support you in providing care, advice and and your family. Even if your own emotional support for patients nurse is visiting another patient, and their families. there is always another member Our Clinical Nurse Specialists of the team available to offer focus on helping to improve your support over the phone (during quality of life. From the comfort office hours). of your own home, you can talk You are most likely to be referred about how you are feeling, get to our Clinical Nurse Specialists support and advice about what by another health professional you would like to do in your life that knows you. When we receive and access help to manage any a referral request we will contact symptoms you might be experiencing. Your nurse will also you to discuss the best way to support you. We can visit you at be able to provide information home or anywhere you feel about other services that may comfortable. be beneficial to you, such as support from one of the hospice’s community volunteers. With your permission, your nurse will work closely with your own GP, District Nurse and other health professionals to ensure you get the best care available to you.

• Home visits

For Patients

Specialist Nursing in the Community

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Clinical Specialist Nurses can offer

• Information and support • Advice about your symptoms and how you are feeling • Support for all the family

One-to-One Support Our Supportive Care team offers a range of emotional and spiritual support which may be of help and comfort. You can access one-toone support with someone from the team, whom you can arrange to meet on a regular basis, if you so wish. This can offer you the time and space to talk confidentially about how you are feeling and what is happening to you. One-to-one support is available from the moment you hear the news. We are here to support you through your entire journey.

The Patients’ Support Groups

• One-to-one support • The Patients’ Support Group • ‘It’s Friday’ and ‘It’s Wednesday’weekly drop-in

Many people who have joined the patientsÕ support group have made friends and have kept in touch beyond the group itself.

‘It’s Friday’ and ‘It’s Wednesday’ Drop-in We also run two informal drop-in sessions for patients and their carers every Friday at Deer Park and every Wednesday at The Long House. These sessions are a time for people to come together, talk and meet other people in similar situations. It is also a chance to speak to our care teams and discuss any issues you may have and any extra support you might benefit from.

Transport can be provided.

At Deer Park you are welcome to stay on afterwards and buy lunch in the Terrace CafŽ.

being there for all the family . www.northdevonhospice.org.uk . 01271 344248

For Patients

We run a series of patientsÕ support groups, led by our counsellors which run for 6 weeks. At the patientsÕ support group, you can meet other people who have also been diagnosed with a life-limiting illness and have the opportunity to access support and understanding from within the comfort of a group environment.

Supportive Care for our patietnts

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Day Hospice for our patients • A supportive environment where you can meet others • Recreational activities • Access to advice, information and support

Day Hospice

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For Patients

Many of our patients enjoy spending the day at Day Hospice.

This runs over three days each week. It is a time to make friends, try new activities and access advice and information in a supportive environment.

After my massage my headache finally went.

I’d had it for three weeks and no medication could touch it

Complementary Therapies We also provide a range of complementary therapies. These therapies are known to help relieve aches and pains, as well as providing some time and space to think and relax, and help with your emotional well-being. From our complementary therapy rooms a range of treatments are available, including aromatherapy, massage and reflexology.

We also have hairdressing facilities which offer a private space for wig fittings and haircuts.

Call us 01271 347246/7 (office hours) or 01271 344248 (out of hours)

being there for all the family . www.northdevonhospice.org.uk . 01271 344248

The Bedded Unit As your illness progresses, you may need to access specialist medical care from time to time and we are here to support you. It is possible to stay in one of the 7 bedrooms on our Bedded Unit, where we provide round-the-clock care for when someone’s symptoms become too complex to be treated at home. Many people who stay on the Bedded Unit

return home once their symptoms have been managed. For those people who spend their final days at the hospice, it is a warm and peaceful environment that is centred around every person that we care for and their family members.

The Bedded Unit • Specialist care and support • Round-the-clock care, 7 days a week • Outpatient Treatments, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy • 7 private bedrooms and a family room • Support and advice for all the family

For Patients being there for all the family . www.northdevonhospice.org.uk . 01271 344248

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Hospice to Home The majority of people we meet tell us they would prefer to be cared for at home and we try to respect those wishes, if that is what you choose.

For Patients

• Hands-on care and support at home at the end of your life • If available, the team can be in your home within 24 hours, responding quickly to what is happening • Round-the-clock care • Intervention to prevent an admission into Hospital

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She wanted to stay at home with us. After so many appointments, it was nice to just be and be together

Call us 01271 347246/7 (office hours) or 01271 344248 (out of hours)

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Hospice to Home

If you would prefer to spend your final days at home with people who are close to you, our Hospice to Home team may be available to provide extra handson care and practical support at that time. Stepping in to help, they can be a great support for you and also your family, which means you and your loved ones have the opportunity to spend more meaningful time together.

being there for all the family . www.northdevonhospice.org.uk . 01271 344248

Specialist care and support for family members and carers In this section you can find out more about the different types of support available to carers and family members. This also includes how we can support children and young people.

Being there for someone will mean different things to different people, because everyone’s experience is unique. You may be supporting someone emotionally, helping with their personal care; you could be assisting with housework or helping with appointments and organising transport. Whether you are being there for someone as a friend or you are caring for a relative or partner, we can be there for you too.

For Family & Carers being there for all the family . www.northdevonhospice.org.uk . 01271 344248

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We are here to support our patients, their families and carers.

Finding out that someone has a life-limiting illness can be very distressing and can raise a lot of questions and concerns.

For Family & Carers

One-to-one support is available with a counsellor, whom you can meet on a regular basis, if you so wish. This can be a good opportunity to have the time and space to talk about what is happening to you and to those around you. We also offer oneto-one support for children and young people too. This can help them understand what is happening around them and help them to prepare for changes that could be around the corner.

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Our one-to-one support can be available from the moment you hear the news and we can continue to be there for you to support you through your bereavement.

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We met. I talked.

She listened. I was able to say the unthinakable, express the unbearable, shed the unsheddable tears and receive calm, gentle words giving me strategies...

The Carers’ Support Group

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One-to-One Support

During the year, we run a series of carers’ support groups which are led by our counsellors. As a group, these carers meet once a week over the course of six weeks.

During the group sessions there are opportunities to talk about personal experiences and about what is happening around you, as well as listen to others who are experiencing similar situations.

being there for all the family . www.northdevonhospice.org.uk . 01271 344248

The Bereavement Support Group During the year, we run a series of bereavement support groups for carers which are led by one of our counsellors. As a group, you meet once a week over the course of six weeks. During these weekly sessions, you can talk about your experience and what is happening around you, with the support of others who are in similar situations.

One-to-One Bereavement Support

being there for all the family . www.northdevonhospice.org.uk . 01271 344248

For Family & Carers

We are here to support family and carers after someone close to them has died. If you have lost someone close to you, our supportive care team can offer one-to-one support where you can talk openly and confidentially about what is happening.

Our one-to-one bereavement support is also available for children and young people too.

Many of our patients have their own families and it is important to them that their children are offered support when they themselves are no longer here.

At a time when it is difficult for children to understand what is happening around them, or where someone has gone, our specialist team can offer support that is tailored for each child, at a location that is best suited to them. It is not uncommon for our counsellors to provide this type of support in a child’s own home or in their school.

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Complementary Therapies for carers • Massage, aromatherapy and reflexology, among others • Access to advice, information and support • The Carers’ Pamper Day

Complementary Therapies As part of supporting your emotional well-being, we can also offer a range of complementary therapies to continue supporting you at a difficult time. Therapies are known to help relieve aches, pains and stresses, as well as offering some time and space to think and relax.

For Family & Carers

As a main care giver, it is incredibly important to look after yourself too. All of our therapies are offered from our complementary therapy rooms at the hospice, either at Deer Park in Barnstaple or from The Long House in Holsworthy.

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In addition to complementary therapies for carers, we also run the Carers’ Pamper Day where they can receive a number of treatments in the comfort of a supportive environment with people in a similar place in life.

being there for all the family . www.northdevonhospice.org.uk . 01271 344248

We value your opinion and welcome your feedback North Devon Hospice aims to provide high quality care and support for our patients and their families. Your feedback helps us to improve the services we offer. There are a number of ways you can tell us about your experience with the hospice.

• Speak to us You can speak to one of the hospice team about your experience. They can also offer you advice if you would like to ensure your feedback is documented • Call us You can call us directly 01271 344248. Please ask to speak to one of the people involved in your care

• I Want Great Care You can complete the ‘I Want Great Care’ questionnaire either online at www.iwantgreatcare.org or using a paper format. Paper copies are available in the hospice’s reception area or alternatively we can send copies to you in the post • ‘Compliments, Concerns and Complaints’ leaflet This leaflet is available from the hospice’s reception area and is also available to download from our website.

being there for all the family . www.northdevonhospice.org.uk . 01271 344248

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North Devon Hospice is an independent, local charity, working throughout the 800 square miles that is North Devon. From countryside to coastline, we provide specialist care and support to people who are affected by a life-limiting illness.

We need to raise over ÂŁ4 million from scratch every year, so we can continue providing our specialist care and support. There are many ways you can support the work of North Devon Hospice and we welcome your interest in your local charity.

We value your opinion Please give us your feedback on our care and support by completing a questionnaire at www.iwantgreatcare.org or ask for a paper version in the hospice reception.

www.iwantgreatcare.org

North Devon Hospice Deer Park, Barnstaple, North Devon, EX32 0HU info@northdevonhospice.org.uk 01271 344248 www.northdevonhospice.org.uk