Tag Archive for: carers

,

BLOG: A trip to the shops shines a light on St Luke’s amazing volunteers

 

It’s no exaggeration to say that St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth couldn’t deliver its crucial and compassionate end of life care without the support of its army of big-hearted volunteers who give their time and talents for free. This Volunteers’ Week (1-7 June) St Luke’s is saluting them all with a huge, heartfelt thank you, and new CEO Christina Quinn has been out and about meeting a few of these very special people in person.

The charity has an amazing 668 regular volunteers – 464 of them in the charity’s shops across Plymouth, West Devon, the South Hams and East Cornwall, sorting donations, steaming and hanging clothing, creating displays and serving customers.

Christina’s whistlestop tour took in three popular stores, where she got a feel for who St Luke’s retail volunteers are and why they choose to do what they do.

She says: “We get so much from the volunteers, but what is lovely is that they all said how much they get from it as well and they have real pride in supporting the vital work of St Luke’s.

“Visiting the Plymstock, Elburton and Transit Way shops it was clear how much the store managers appreciate and value their volunteers, as we all do too. None of us can do this without them.”

During her visits, Christina heard some heartening stories from individual volunteers, each with unique backgrounds and experiences but with the same aim in mind.

Barbara

A volunteer with special niche knowledge can be a real boon to St Luke’s shop managers. Barbara Daniel used to have an antiques shop on the Barbican and she would sometimes come in to St Luke’s to help value jewellery donations.

After she and her husband closed their business, Barbara began volunteering twice a week at our Plymstock shop where she’s now the resident jewellery expert. Using her keen eye, she takes a good look at items when they arrive, spotting anything that could potentially be quite valuable and doing her homework to make sure the price is right to raise as much as possible to support St Luke’s end of life care.

Barbara is delighted to use her expertise and has identified a few choice pieces that have sold for between £400 and £500.

She says: “I think most volunteers feel like it’s a social occasion to come here and meet people. It keeps the brain ticking over as you get older. I certainly missed it during the lockdown.”

Barbara also loves hunting down bargains in St Luke’s shops. When her son got married recently, both she and her daughter found their glamorous outfits for the big day in one of the charity’s stores.

They each discovered almost new dress and jacket ensembles that would originally have cost hundreds of pounds. Of course, generous Barbara donated hers straight back to St Luke’s after she’d worn it!

Julie

Volunteering for St Luke’s is especially poignant for Julie Lukehurst, a recent recruit at the Elburton shop. Hospital doctors told her that her cancer was incurable and that the best thing for her would be palliative care at St Luke’s specialist unit at Turnchapel.

“I was offered a bed but said I wouldn’t be going there because I wasn’t dying,” recalls Julie.  Four years later she is in remission, managing her illness with medication and pacing her energy through good and bad days. “I think it’s fantastic that St Luke’s is there. That’s why I want to give something back.

“I’ve always worked but couldn’t when I was unwell and I missed it. I moved to a little cottage just down the road from the Elburton shop and used to come in as a customer. One day Rachel the manager asked me if I’d like to volunteer.”

Julie is now quickly learning the ropes volunteering twice a week, sorting stock and serving customers, and she’s mastering the till, even though she’s a self-confessed technophobe.

“I get more pleasure out of being here than I do anywhere. Everyone here is so lovely and friendly and we’re all here for the same reason – to make money for care.  But it’s also a social thing. I could easily stay at home seeing nobody,” says Julie.

Darren

Darren King is a carer for his wife, so he’s unable to go into paid employment. But he loves volunteering at St Luke’s Transit Way shop, just five minutes’ walk from home so he can run back if he’s needed. Working in the shop gives him a sense of purpose and a break from being in the house all the time.

“I just love being here. This is my baby, and the people are like family to me, especially Steve, the manager. He makes work a pleasure.

“The satisfaction you get when you put something through the till and you know it’s going to such a good cause is amazing. There’s no better feeling than clearing £1,000 and knowing that will pay for someone to be cared for at home – it’s a goal we all set for ourselves. We all take pride in the store and it’s really rewarding.”

On the day Christina visited Darren was working alongside a team of fellow volunteers including regulars Mel, Pam and Sue, all supervised by manager Steve Evans. He says it takes a minimum of 10 volunteers to help run the large Transit Way clothing shop and the adjacent bric-a-brac store. There’s a constant stream of donated items being brought in by customers, many on their way to the supermarket next door, and they all need checking, sorting and pricing.

Christina was impressed and humbled by her shop visits. She says: “Every single individual makes a unique contribution towards our shared goal to provide the very best holistic care for people with terminal illness at the end of their lives and compassionate support for their loved ones.

“Barbara, Julie and Darren are all doing a fantastic job and it’s so great to know that they enjoy what they do and get satisfaction from knowing they are giving something back.”

St Luke’s is always looking for more volunteers to help in our shops for a few hours or more each week. These are the stores that are currently in urgent need of more helping hands:  Western Approach/Toys ’R’ Us, Shabby Chic on the Barbican, Sugar Mill, Drake and New George Street in the city centre, Plymstock Bookshop, Tavistock and Launceston.

If you have some time to spare and would like to get involved in a worthwhile cause working alongside like-minded people, find out more and get in touch via our volunteering page or email volunteer@stlukes-hospice.org.uk.

,

BLOG: Inside our holistic special task force the Patient and Family Support Service

While our nurses, healthcare assistants and doctors are the daily frontline ambassadors for St Luke’s compassionate and holistic end of life care, behind the scenes another small and highly skilled team are helping patients and their loved ones deal with the intense emotional pain and personal hardships a terminal journey can bring.

Recently renamed the Patient and Family Support Service to better reflect what the team does, this band of social workers, support workers, students and trained volunteers are multi-faceted champions, making sure those in distress are offered the help that’s right for them.

It can be overwhelming when someone learns they have a limited time to live, not just for the person themselves but for all those closest to them. At the heart of everything the team does lies the desire to make things just a little bit better for the patient and their family, amid the sadness, pressured relationships, physical constraints, mental health problems, past trauma, learning disabilities, substance abuse or financial troubles they may be facing, while also upholding their legal rights and protecting their safety.

The team’s highly experienced social workers are service manager Helen Koffi-Young, Danielle Brown, Emma Hancock and newcomer Sarah Bedaton. They are joined by social and bereavement support worker Sue Martin, children and family support worker Lisa Carter and a core of around a dozen amazing volunteers, trained in befriending and bereavement support skills. Together they are a consistent and inclusive St Luke’s presence, following people wherever their journey takes them – from hospital or home to nursing home or the hospice specialist unit.

“A terminal diagnosis makes a massive impact on the whole family and we deal with a lot of mental distress. We try to be preventative and look at people’s strengths and current support, then what support the person feels will be useful to them, what support we can give and what may be there in their network already,” explains Emma. “Recently we have observed a big impact from Covid and people getting a late diagnosis. This can impact on people’s level of emotional distress and can at times lead to crises in their mental health.

“People are not just their illnesses. The illness is something that happens to them. It’s our job to ask and really understand what matters most to that particular person and look at what their goals are, big or small. How, for example, could the day be made slightly better for them?

“We give people a voice and let them know they are heard. We let them talk about their anxieties and fears without judgment. We use active listening and empathy, helping people process their feelings about what has happened in a safe space. We use counselling skills and other therapeutic approaches, but we are not a counselling service, nor are we there to replace social services but work alongside them.

“We are involved in training and increasing awareness of safeguarding for adults and children, when there is abuse, neglect or self-neglect, and we are there as a consultancy service to support St Luke’s doctors, nurses and healthcare assistants.

“We work with social services to support people who may be subject to or at risk of abuse or neglect working to support and empower them and put them at the centre of decisions about their lives.”

At any one time the team can be dealing with as many as 150 people – patients, carers and the bereaved – building trusting relationships that can go on having a valuable impact in their most difficult days.

Sometimes it’s simple actions that make a big difference. For example, if someone has received a terminal diagnosis and doesn’t have family or friends close by, having one of the team’s befriending volunteers visit once a week for a chat, telephone regularly or take them out for coffee can help them feel they are not alone as they approach the end of life.

However, many of the situations they face are extremely complex. Even if someone’s troubles initially look straightforward, there can be a deep layer of issues beneath the surface that needs the expertise and experienced input of the team’s social workers and support workers.

For patients, the emphasis is always on understanding what is important to that person and their family. There’s an urgency to try and address matters that are causing the most anxiety, whether emotional or practical, and they work closely with other St Luke’s teams, also connecting and signposting to other agencies when it’s appropriate, such as the CAB for financial issues.

“We look at someone from the point of view of their entire life, their environment and their close relationships, and make sure they are empowered and know they have choices. We look at what can they do for themselves, physically and emotionally and try to build on their own strengths, while assessing the level of risk involved,” says Emma.

“For instance, getting themselves washed and dressed might be painful and tire someone out, but if they have a little help with the ordinary things, maybe it can free up that time and energy for something they enjoy doing.

“Sometimes a patient will have been the sole carer for someone with learning disabilities or mental health issues. Is there someone else who can look out for them? Our team have worked with many people who are looking after an adult child and worked with social services to get the support they are going to need.”

Emma, Danielle, Sarah and Helen keep an acute eye on the law and people’s human rights, especially legalities around mental health and mental capacity, elements that often come into play when deciding where someone should be cared for.

“The Mental Capacity Act is used when someone is not able to make a particular decision for themselves due to issues with their cognition,” says Helen. “It’s about upholding people’s rights while balancing their safety. If someone wants to go home, we assess if it is safe for them to do so. Is there a risk that they will fall over? Can they call for help? We always look at ways that we can try to minimise risk to enable people to have their wishes met, without being overly restrictive. For example, if someone has advanced dementia, is there someone who can support them to remain at home? We look at what we could do to get that person what they want. And if we can’t make it safe for them, we help to explore other options.”

Sustaining carers is a hugely important part of the team’s work. “It’s really important we listen to carers about their needs, provide emotional support, help them with difficult conversations around care and getting support packages from adult social care and the NHS,” adds Sarah.

The demand for bereavement support has significantly increased. When someone close has died or is going through the final stages of life, a period of bereavement support from a staff member or bereavement support volunteer can help family members with the initial stages of grief, or boost their strength to cope a little further down the line when the reality of the situation has sunk in.

“We are often working with people who are in a crisis and facing the most difficult time in their lives. We try to give continuity in bereavement support, with three initial sessions before we review their needs, and we can provide up to six where needed,” says Sarah.

Sometimes the team will need to refer the person on to an outside voluntary organisation for ongoing support, or to specialist mental health services if their distress deepens, working with partners in the community to get the right level of support for people’s individual needs.

When it’s a child or young person affected by bereavement, they will try to begin supporting them before their loved one dies, helping them to make and hold onto unique memories of that person through St Luke’s own Patches initiative. If it’s their parent, grandparent or carer that St Luke’s is looking after, they will work with their school or nursery and sometimes CAMHS NHS mental health services, to make sure there is a solid network around them and plenty of support and advice for whoever will be caring for them, especially if a child has extra needs because of a learning disability or any other additional needs.

Patient and Family Support Service may be a more fitting name for the team, but no title can adequately describe the magnitude of what they do on a daily basis, which also extends to best practice and how services are developed, teaching inside and outside St Luke’s.

Helen says: “It is a privilege that people let us into their lives and we all value the precious time they give us. I am really proud of the social workers, support workers and volunteers. They all make such a difference in the work they do and without fail are skilled, compassionate, empathic and effective advocates for the people they support.”

SIX STEPS CARE HOME
,

BLOG: Agency’s six steps to end of life care excellence

SIX STEPS CARE HOMEAgency’s six steps to end of life care excellence

The very first nursing and care agency in Plymouth to boast St Luke’s end of life training verification is delighted that its high standards and good practice have been recognised and verified for the 12th year running.

St Luke’s has long been committed to helping the wider caring community to deliver the very best care for people who are approaching death, through its dedicated Six Steps+ education programme.

There’s a growing band of great nursing and care homes in and around Plymouth that have invested in the specialist training initiative. However, the highly respected Prestige Nursing & Care – a Domiciliary Care and temporary staffing provider – with clients across Devon and Cornwall is the only agency that has proudly renewed its Six Steps+ accreditation, year after year.

With three in-house certificated St Luke’s End of Life Champions to spread their specialist knowledge and skills to all their staff, Prestige has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to make a real difference to clients at such an important time in their lives.

Their care teams are experienced at looking after the dying in their own homes, during the day and overnight, working alongside St Luke’s specialist teams when expert input is needed. The agency, rated “Outstanding” by the CQC, also supplies staff for nursing and care homes, and occasionally provides temporary cover for St Luke’s specialist unit at Turnchapel.

Manager Emma Bonney, who spearheaded the agency’s ongoing connection with St Luke’s, says their Six Steps+ training by St Luke’s End of Life Educators, has been a game changer, giving her staff the confidence, not only to give a better standard care, but to champion their clients.

“We were having more and more clients at the end of life in the community and my main motivation was to improve our services and support those people more effectively,” she said. “Liz Lawley and the St Luke’s education team have empowered us to challenge things when it’s in the best interest of the patient – we have the knowledge to do that now.

“It’s great that we know what to do to look after people at the end of life appropriately. Families don’t know what to expect because they can’t tell what is normal, but our health care assistants can calmly explain things and take away some of their worry.”

A recent example was a woman who was trying to look after her elderly, terminally ill mother at home but found it overwhelming when she deteriorated steeply and was in a lot of pain and distress.

“The daughter just couldn’t cope and thought she would have to put her mother in residential care. Because of our specialist knowledge, we were able to go in and help to keep the lady calm and comfortable so that she could stay at home.

“Stories like that are why we do the Six Steps+ training, to provide really high quality care that allows people to stay at home at the end of their lives,” said Emma.

The programme’s standards also emphasise the importance of Advance Care Plans and documenting people’s wishes in terms of their future care.

“Advance care planning is a big benefit. We looked after a lady who had early onset Alzheimer’s and she could see where the disease was going to take her. We helped her to make a plan while she still had capacity. She wanted to be care for in her own home and was very concerned about being patronised. This was documented as part of her Advanced Care Plan and she remained at home until she died, in her preferred place of care”.

Another of Prestige’s top priorities is providing continuity of care for people in their own homes.

“When we consider a package of care, we always look to assign a set team to ensure we can cover it fully and safely. We try to minimise the number of people as much as we can so that the client has a consistent team who know them well. This in turn gives the client a more effective service as the staff are able to respond promptly to any changes in their condition and wellbeing.”

Emma and her fellow Prestige End of Life Champions, Jane Lys and Clare Waterfield, are all involved in training the Prestige staff. As part of the Six Steps+ programme, they undertake refresher courses with the St Luke’s Education Team and attend the regular End of Life forums that bring together other local champions to discuss common issues and expand knowledge with guest speakers.

“The programme is ongoing. Every year we re-verify. At that point we have to provide evidence that we are still providing high quality end of life care, showing examples of how we put the Six Steps+ into practice.”

What is the Six Steps+ programme?

,

BLOG: The journey of a donated sofa

How Stuart’s bargain sofa made Sandie smile and boosted our funds for patient care

Around this festive time of year we’re bombarded with TV ads for big name furniture brands, urging us to buy a new sofa or suite in the sales.

In these challenging financial times, choosing a pre-loved option from one of our charity shops not only makes great economic sense, it’s also better for the environment and supports our care for patients and their loved ones.

We followed a three-piece suite, kindly donated to St Luke’s, on its journey to a grateful new home and measured its impact on the charity.

 When Stuart Cann and his wife, Leanne, ordered a brand new sofa suite there was never any doubt about the destination of their old one. They were going to donate it to St Luke’s Plymouth.

Old is actually the wrong word for the elegant, grey four-seater sofa with matching chair and big, circular footstool that used to grace the football-mad family’s lounge. Less than three years old, it was as smart and comfortable as the day it arrived, and already held good memories for the couple and their children Ella, 13, and Thomas, nine.

“I’ve sat there and enjoyed many a beer and takeaway watching the football. And we had a lot of friends round, crammed into the lounge to watch the Euros,” recalled Stuart.

But as part of an extensive renovation programme at their house in Plymstock, they were having a clean sweep and the suite had to go.

“There was nothing wrong with that settee. We could have put it on one of the marketplace apps and got some money for it. But there are people in more need than us and St Luke’s is a deserving charity, so we thought why not donate it so someone can pick up a decent sofa at a much lower cost,” said Stuart. “Plus, I knew St Luke’s was happy to pick up large furniture, so that made it easy for us.”

Although they have no personal link to St Luke’s, Stuart, a mechanical and electrical project manager, and Leanne, who works in HR at Babcock, had heard about the charity’s end of life care. They believe in giving back to the community when they can and have taken on the challenge of several half marathons and other running events to support cancer and dementia charities.

Meanwhile, Sandie was on a mission to find a sofa – and other essential furniture – for the empty new home of friends who were returning to live in Plymouth after working in America.

Trying to stick to a budget, she’d spent the day trawling charity and second-hand shops around Plymouth with no luck at all. She said: “I went in one shop and everything was out of the 1970s. It was awful… I came out so disheartened.”

Sandie was just about to give up hope and drive away empty-handed when she struck gold at St Luke’s large furniture store on Western Approach. Having one more go at her quest to find something good, reasonably priced and in great condition, she popped into the old ToysRUs building.

“I wandered around but didn’t find anything. I was just leaving when I saw two guys walking towards me carrying a sofa and I moved out of the way for them,” said Sandie. “I thought it looked very nice so I followed them through the store and asked if it was for sale. They said yes, they had just brought it in from the back store.”

She knew immediately that it was the one and decided to buy it straight away. “I was absolutely thrilled. I just love it; it’s so comfortable and it’s still a current sofa in the shop it came from. And I knew it could have it within days. If you order one new it’s still a 6-12 week wait before you can have it delivered.”

Sandie was surprised and delighted to discover such a brilliant quality bargain, and in a shop supporting a charity that is dear to her heart. She was happy to learn that the money raised by the sale of the sofa is the equivalent of St Luke’s providing a full package of care and support for a patient and their family at home.

Sandie’s sister, Vanessa was only 50 when she was diagnosed late with Stage 4 cancer and died at St Luke’s specialist care unit at Turnchapel.

“We only had weeks with her left and St Luke’s hospice care and nurses were just amazing – not only for the patient but for us as family members because we are struggling too and they understand that. Nothing was too much bother for them.”

Sandie, who always donates her own unwanted items, said: “Charity shops are not like they used to be. I remember going in with my mum when I was young and it was terrible – full of old people’s stuff and it would smell. I couldn’t bear it. But you go in now and it’s very modern. I was really surprised by the quality when I went in St Luke’s. It’s definitely worth looking in there.”

Sandie isn’t the only one whose is delighted with the new sofa. Doodles – her tiny 12-year-old Yorkipoo – loves it too.

“When the sofa arrived, he came running in and sniffed it from top to bottom; he has now claimed it as his own,” she said. “I’m still helping to get the place sorted for my friends and every time I’m there I make myself a cup of tea, sit down on the sofa and smile.”

Andrew Collins, manager at St Luke’s Western Approach store in the old ToysRUs building, said using St Luke’s is a great way to save money and help the charity.

“Why buy new when you can buy a quality used piece from us? It’s much more affordable and it’s also helps support the care of St Luke’s patients and their families,” he said. “We always need items to sell to generate income for St Luke’s. All we ask is that they are ‘saleable’, so in reasonable condition, and not broken and without any bits missing. And we’re not able to take sofas unless they have got their fire safety regulation labels.”

St Luke’s stores that stock large items of furniture, including sofas and beds are Western Approach (ToysRUs), Plympton furniture warehouse, Sugar Mill at Plymstock and Launceston. If you are after smaller items, you can also try the Transit Way store. For full store details and opening times click here.

If you have furniture you’d like to donate, St Luke’s runs a free collection service and there’s a special number to call – 01752 964455 – that’s manned all year round, except bank holidays.

carer passport
,

BLOG: Introducing the new Carer Passport

carer passport

Introducing the new Carer Passport

A new Family and Friend Carer Passport is being launched in Plymouth on 28 November 2022 to recognise and value the support carers provide.

The Family and Friend Carer Passport is designed to help

  • Carers to identify themselves as a carer
  • All staff to recognise carers and the vital role they play

The passport has been launched by health and social care partners across the city including St Luke’s, Livewell Southwest, University Hospital’s Plymouth NHS Trust, Plymouth City Council and Improving Lives Plymouth. It highlights the expertise carers bring and the needs they have in terms of their own health and welfare.

A carer is anyone who cares, unpaid, for a family or friend who needs help and support due to illness, disability, a mental health condition or an addiction.

‘Mentally, emotionally, 24/7 your thoughts are with them and their needs and what you might be having to do, or will need to do or what you didn’t do…if the carers card works well, it will break down quite a lot of barriers. I do believe it will acknowledge the role and hopefully increase the two-way information sharing and the openness of professionals to actually speak with the carers about the things that worry them…put simply, it will make life slightly less fraught…if the carer breaks down, who’s going to do the caring?’

Carer of an adult son who has a serious mental illness, Plymouth

The new Carer Passport comprises an A5 booklet with information about caring and a credit card sized Carer Identification card. This will provide:

Carer passport

  • A recognisable way for carers to identify their caring role to health, social care and other organisations
  • Discounts at participating businesses
  • Access to information and support to help with caring
  • An opportunity to connect with other carers
  • An emergency alert card
  • Some discounts in healthcare settings, depending on circumstances

The Carer Passport also aims to give the Carer the confidence to talk with health and social care staff about the person they care for and are actively encouraged to show the Carers Card to professionals to let them know they are a carer. However, it should not be seen as ‘proof’ and all appropriate checks with the cared for person should be undertaken to ensure their confidentiality is not breached.

Dr Ed Parry-Jones, GP, Clinical Advisor for One Devon and member of Plymouth Carer’s Strategic Partnership, said: “We know that unpaid carers of family or friends routinely neglect their own health and care needs and prioritise the needs of the person they care for. By working together across organisations we are committing to help carers access the support they need to keep themselves in good physical and mental wellbeing. This will enable them to maintain their caring role and, when appropriate, help them to relinquish some aspects of their caring role’.

The Council’s commissioned service for adult carers in Plymouth is called Caring for Carers, run by Improving Lives Plymouth, and provides a range of advice, guidance, help and support for unpaid carers.

There is also help and support for the 800 plus young carers in Plymouth which is delivered by Time 4 U, a partnership between children’s charity Barnardo’s, Hamoaze House and the City Council’s Youth Services Team.

To request a carer passport residents will first need to register with Caring for Carers in any of the following ways:

Carers that are already registered with Caring for Carers will automatically receive a passport in the post.

home care
,

BLOG: When compassion comes calling

home care

When compassion comes calling

Communications Copywriter Jackie Butler jumps in the deep end on the road with St Luke’s at home

If you want to learn about the fantastic care delivered day in and day out by St Luke’s, one of the best places to start has to be out on the frontline with our at home nursing teams.

Like many people, I’d been under the impression that St Luke’s was all about the wonderful in-patient unit at Turnchapel. I knew that my friend’s husband had been visited at his own house – where he wanted to take his final days – but it was still a surprise to discover that more than half the care delivered by St Luke’s happens out in the community.

Eager to find out more and part of my induction to St Luke’s, I recently had the privilege of accompanying members of our dedicated at home team on daily rounds in and around Plymouth to witness first-hand what a huge difference this treasured service makes to patients who are facing death, and their families.

For someone like me who isn’t used to being around very poorly people at the end of their lives, this was like jumping in at the deep end and I admit I was a bit nervous. But the reassuring presence of Clinical Nurse Specialist Sally, and Urgent Care team nurse Natasha and health care assistant Claire, put me at ease straight away.

I could imagine the relief you might feel as a patient, a concerned relative or a fellow carer, when these veritable superwomen ring the doorbell. It’s immediately clear that their entire focus is on making things as comfortable as they can in every sense, minimising intrusion, maximising support, easing pain, maintaining people’s dignity – often in difficult circumstances – and helping plan for the best death possible.

Their respectful and unhurried presence suggests they have all the time in the world for each individual and that nothing is too much trouble. Intuitive, gentle and knowledgeable, it was fascinating to see each of them instinctively register the tiniest changes in a patient’s expression or demeanour and then go the extra mile to respond with a practical solution.

I was surprised by the huge patch the at home team covers – some 750 square miles stretching right across the city and across into rural West Devon and remote parts of Dartmoor, as well as down into the South Hams and the coast. And some patients are visited by St Luke’s up to three times a day.

st lukes at home

ROUND ONE Sally – Clinical Nurse Specialist

Sally, who retrained as a nurse after a long career in the police force, usually travels solo but certainly made a delightful companion as I tagged along on her rounds for the day. Her intense passion for her job certainly shone brightly.

As a St Luke’s Clinical Nurse Specialist, she has particular skills in managing patients’ complex symptoms and pain, advising on medication options and other aids to make things easier. Her day involves weighing up care and treatment options and encouraging the most beneficial in each case. Like the rest of the at home team, she takes a sharp and holistic view of each patient and their quality of life, and her calls are scheduled to reflect each situation.

Sally’s upbeat manner disguises how acutely tuned in she is to every scenario she’s faced with, including the health and wellbeing of the individuals caring for a patient, whether that is family members, nursing home staff, district nurses, St Luke’s own at home team or a combination of those.

Uppermost in her mind is recognising people’s needs and acknowledging what they are going through. “It’s important to tell people you really understand,” said Sally.

Answers to the casually chatty but clever questions she asks provide the information she needs to make the right judgments about a patient’s condition and the best path to follow. Faced with a man in pain but reluctant to try a stronger painkilling solution, I noted her gentle powers of persuasion in action as she coaxed not only his agreement to “just give it a try”, but a rare little smile as well.

Minutes after checking in on a lady in a local nursing home, she was back in her car and straight on the phone to the woman’s daughter to reassure her that mum was comfortable and without pain, but very close to the end of life.

I also witnessed as she went above and beyond to make sure a patient who was no longer able to take his medication orally had a syringe pump driver and specific drugs prescribed by the GP, all up and running the very same day to avoid him suffering unnecessarily in his final days at home, surrounded by his loved ones.

“You get a real high from getting it right for the family,” she said.

Making notes during and after each visit, Sally had a mountain of paperwork to complete before calling it a day, filing detailed reports on the patients she’d seen so St Luke’s at home team, and other concerned medical professionals, had a detailed view of her observations and care advice.

While she and her fellow Clinical Nurse Specialists are like the expert flying squad of the service, the consistent daily personal care of patients is the domain of the Urgent Care Team, who work in pairs and can clock up hundreds of miles on a 12.5-hour shift, travelling from patient to patient.

ROUND TWO – Claire and Natasha

Nurse Natasha describes the palliative care she and her Urgent Care Team colleagues deliver as they approach death as “a big, warm hug” and that spirit was ever-present as I watched her and health care assistant Claire in action together in people’s homes.

“We are a very passionate team. We want people to have the very best quality care. At St Luke’s if you need to sort someone in crisis then you can spend the time. Someone else is always ready to help,” said Natasha.

Claire added: “We are not trying to make anybody better, just pain-free and comfortable. We specialise in dying and death.”

The day I joined them began with a handover meeting at Turnchapel discussing the patients they would see that morning, their state of health, their needs, issues with medication, and any other agencies involved, like social care or district nurses.

Sitting in the back of one of St Luke’s bright branded vehicles, I experienced a sense of pride as Claire negotiated the traffic to drive us to the first call of the day.  It’s fair to say that health care assistants are the lifeblood of the service and the main faces of St Luke’s care out in the community. As a nurse Natasha is more often taking an overview of patients, assessing new referrals and giving advice on care, but she clearly loves the hands-on aspects of the job, and it was awe-inspiring to watch her and Claire working seamlessly together.

Our first call was to a very weak elderly woman in the final stages of cancer, dozing in the living room of her house where she lived with her husband. Asking permission at every stage, and giving constant reassurance, Claire and Natasha very carefully raised her hospital bed to a manageable height and position. They slowly stripped back her blankets, one by one, making sure she didn’t feel cold, and gave her the gentlest of washes to freshen her up, while watching for signs of pain, discomfort and noting any deterioration since the day before.

They dealt with her catheter bag, moisturised her feet, brushed her hair and teeth. They changed her bedding and nightclothes and propped up her up with pillows so she could see out the window to the garden. When they left the house she was clean, snug and dozing again and they – or another St Luke’s UC team – would be back to do it all again in the early evening.  I sensed it wasn’t going to be long.

 

st lukes at home

Natasha and Claire repeated that level of kindness and care on each of their visits, depending on the individual and their circumstances. En route to the next patient, Claire explained a bit more about what is happening quietly under the surface when they are in someone’s home.

“You read the whole situation holistically. We soak it all up. Quite often it’s the relatives who are struggling the most. Even the dog’s behaviour can give you clues about the situation when you walk in the door,” she said. “We look for all the signs that someone is actively dying. We learn our skills and we are out there doing it. The person you are working with, you just give them a little look and they know what you are thinking.”

When death does arrive, St Luke’s role doesn’t stop, and it was humbling to hear how Claire and her fellow HCAs have a particularly poignant and challenging role to play.

“Ideally everyone would die in their sleep with someone holding their hand. But you can give them the dignity after, and it’s such a privilege to provide that care after death, for the family and the patient themselves,” she said. “We’re there for the practicalities and to talk about what happened.

“Care after death is really important and I like to do it as much as looking after someone when they are alive. To have them looking beautiful or handsome and put on their best clothes, give them a shave, some make up or perfume. It’s the last memory people are going to have of their loved one before they have to let them go, so it’s really important. You like to know that you have done your best.”

After three patients, a quick lunch, report writing and what they call a “huddle” with colleagues, Natasha and Claire were heading back out late afternoon with another set of visits on their list, maybe the same patients, maybe different ones. Every day is different for them.

I retired to my desk to reflect on my experiences with Sally, Claire and Natasha, blown away by the extraordinary compassion and skilled care I’d seen in action on the frontline and so grateful for the opportunity.  There’s still so much more for me to learn about St Luke’s, but I now have a much better insight into why we’re all here, working together to keep these incredible services running.

st lukes at home

,

BLOG: Two entwining roles with compassion at their heart

Two entwining roles with compassion at their heart

For many who join our hospice team, working in an environment where death, dying and bereavement are everyday occurrences can – understandably – take some time to adapt to. For one recent arrival though, becoming part of our workforce felt a very natural transition from her former role.

That’s because before taking up her new job Healthcare Assistant (HCA) with our Urgent Care team in February, Denise Holgate worked as a Funeral Director, overseeing, directing and co-ordinating all aspects of funeral services including body preparation, visitation, services, burials and cremations, while providing caring support and advice to families and friends of the deceased.

It was a role Denise found hugely rewarding, guiding and supporting bereaved families as they planned and attended the funerals of their loved ones. So, when a period of ill health forced her to rethink her career and search for a new position, she was set on finding one that made the very best use of all the skills and experience she’d acquired and enabled her to continue to make a difference to the lives of others.

Denise takes up the story: “I have always worked in caring roles. Before qualifying as a Funeral Director I was a Healthcare Assistant at Dartmoor Prison, and worked at the National Blood Service and in a various NHS posts, as well as bringing up two children.

“As my children became more independent, I began looking into new career opportunities. Becoming a Funeral Director appealed because while it was something different, it sounded really interesting and I sensed it would be a good fit for me. Following a year of study which covered everything from greeting bereaved families to helping them arrange every detail of their loved ones’ funerals, I worked for a funeral company that’s part of a national chain and then for an independent firm.

“During those 13 years, I had such a fulfilling career supporting people at the most sad and difficult of times for them. Being a Funeral Director, you are in a position of great trust and there to ensure the family gets the funeral they wish for. Having lost their loved one, they are reliant on you to explain things clearly, patiently and kindly, guiding them gently so they know – and feel – that they are in control. Obviously, it is a very emotional time for them so listening with empathy is key.

“Each family is unique, and what many people don’t realise is that the funeral can be as individual as they want it to be as long, as it meets health and safety regulations. They can even conduct it themselves if they want to. You only get one chance to say goodbye so I always made it my mission to ensure that not only was each funeral the dignified service they wanted and needed for their loved one but an occasion that would leave them feeling they had done their very best for that person so dear to them.

“From taking services by the sea and in people’s back gardens to helping a musician’s family organise his funeral along a festival theme – in a field and with everyone dressed the part – it was important to me to do all I could to make sure everything went smoothly, reducing any feelings of anxiety or fear for families so they could say goodbye feeling as at peace as possible.  

“I really loved my work, but the hours could be very long because you can’t just clock off, and eventually a period of illness meant I had to stop. I knew though, that whatever I did next would need to be something where I could continue supporting people. That’s why joining St Luke’s appealed to me, and why – when I saw the opportunity to join as an HCA – I wasted no time in applying.

Healthcare assistant funeral director

“There are so many similarities between my former role and the work I’m doing now, comforting people as well as making sure they are comfortable despite it being such a tough time for them. The only difference is that whereas my contact with families used to be after their loved one had died, now it is in the weeks and days before.

“What matters to me is being able to make a difference, whether that’s giving a patient’s partner a break from their caring duties so they can grab a shower or get some fresh air, or arranging a night sit from the Marie Curie team so they can get a decent night’s sleep.

“In both my previous job and this one, it’s that shared sense of humanity that connects us with those we support. I always want the people I’m looking after to know they are not alone and that if there is anything they need, they only have to ask. To be that shoulder for them feels very special to me.

“Having been a Funeral Director, I am at ease with all aspects of death and dying, and just like my colleagues at St Luke’s I am passionate about helping to remove the stigma that hinders the helpful, honest conversations people need to have sooner rather than later.

“As well as being really welcoming and supportive, my teammates have been curious about my previous job and full of questions that I’m only too happy to answer. And recently, for those who wanted to visit I had the honour of arranging a tour of a local crematorium so they could look around and find out more about what happens there. I think they found it helpful and reassuring, recognising that whether you are someone providing support before or after a person dies, what matters above all is compassion.”

If you are interested in joining the St Luke’s team, have a look at our current job opportunities.

Thank you to Clifford’s Family Funeral Directors for the use of the photos. 

,

Making our city more compassionate

The launch of the city-wide partnership showed how aspiration is being turned into action across Plymouth, benefitting people at end of life.

Back in May 2018, at the Plymouth: a Compassionate City conference hosted by St Luke’s and attended by organisations ranging from schools and places of worship to solicitors and voluntary groups, keynote speaker Professor Allan Kellehear threw down a challenge to those present, saying: “Every day, people die and hearts are broken. Death and dying are more than medical issues and caring for those affected is not just the role of the doctor and the chaplain. End of life care is everyone’s responsibility and we all have a practical role to play.”

This rallying call to build on the good work already happening across Plymouth to make our city a more compassionate place for people at end of life, and those caring for them, was met with overwhelming support. So, nearly 18 months on, at the launch of the End of Life Compassionate City Charter Professor Kellehear urged Plymouth to adopt, it was an opportunity to see how groups and organisations have been working together, turning aspiration into action so that no-one feels left behind.

Having a city-wide end of life network working in partnership with the City Council, as well as other public bodies and local charities, is already beginning to ensure that Plymouth is a city that does not shy away from the ‘taboo’ subjects of death, dying and bereavement but talks openly about them. In fact, Plymouth has the accolade of being recognised at England’s first Compassionate City, but this is just the beginning.

The Compassionate City initiative is being led and co-ordinated by Gail Wilson, Deputy Director of Clinical Services at St Luke’s. Gail said: “Across the city and the wider communities there are many examples of individuals and groups going the extra mile to support people during times of sickness, bereavement and loss, from providing a listening ear to helping with practical things such as walking the dog and collecting shopping.

“I have been amazed by what various organisations and individuals across the city have achieved in the past 18 months, with the support of the compassionate community team at St Luke’s . This is a really a great start but there is much more to do, so I would encourage anybody who wants to be involved to sign up to the network and join us, so together we can create compassionate networks where we live and work so that no-one at end of life or experiencing bereavement and loss feels isolated or alone.”

Steve Statham, Chief Executive of St Luke’s, said: “We have a key role to play in supporting our community and networks in times of crisis and loss. This charter is about how we can work together towards extending the support we give to people at a most difficult time in their life”.

Ruth Harrell, Director of Public Health for Plymouth, said: “By taking a public health approach to end of life care, we can give a voice to all those affected by death, dying, bereavement and loss and work together to create a city that does not shy away from their needs but provides a compassionate collective response.”

,

PR: Making Plymouth a more compassionate city for those at end of life

It’s official – Plymouth has been recognised as the first compassionate city for those at end of life in England!

The accolade for Plymouth is from Public Health Palliative Care International in recognition of the commitment the city has made – and work already under way – towards meeting the objectives of the End of Life Compassionate City Charter. This charter provides a framework outlining social actions relating to death, dying and loss, to be delivered in partnership with communities and individuals for the benefit of everyone in the city.

A compassionate city or community is one that recognises that care for one another at times of crisis and loss is not simply a task solely for health and social services but is everyone’s responsibility. It was in May 2018 that St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth hosted the Plymouth, a Compassionate City: What can you do? conference attended by organisations ranging from schools and places of worship to solicitors, GP surgeries and voluntary groups and Plymouth City Council.

While acknowledging the great progress the city has made in creating compassionate communities for homeless and prison populations, key speaker Professor Allan Kellehear of Bradford University challenged Plymouth to do more, stating that: “Every day people die and hearts are broken. Death and dying are more than medical issues and caring for those affected is not just the role of the doctor and the chaplain. End of life care is everyone’s responsibility and we all have a practical role to play.”

He asked the city to adopt a public health approach to dealing with the lasting impacts of death, dying and loss on individuals in our city and to implement the End of Life Compassionate City Charter. Having a city-wide end of life network working in partnership with the City Council, as well as other public bodies and local charities, will ensure Plymouth is a city that does not shy away from the ‘taboo’ subjects of death, dying and bereavement but talks openly about them.

Across the city, people will be more informed and compassionate towards those facing end of life, or experiencing loss and bereavement. Delegates demonstrated overwhelming support for the charter and the creation of an end of life network for Plymouth and the surrounding communities that is made up of individuals, groups and organisations working together to deliver the charter’s aims.

Councillor Kate Taylor, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care, said: “The Compassionate City Charter for end of life care gives us all a framework to work towards. The challenges it will help us meet are particularly pertinent to Plymouth as a growing city with a rising number of over-65s. There are increasing demands on health and social care services as care becomes more complex and end of life needs grow compounded by a national funding crisis in social care. Death and dying are more than medical issues and caring for those affected is not just the role of doctors, we all have a role to play. We fully support this approach and will work with our community to turn aspiration into action.”

Ruth Harrell, Director of Public Health for Plymouth, said: “Everyone agrees with the need to have a more compassion approach to those at end of life but how do we make it a reality across our city? By taking a public health approach to end of life care, we can give a voice to all those affected by death, dying, bereavement and loss and work together to create a city that does not shy away from their needs but provides a compassionate collective response.”

CEO of St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth, Steve Statham added: “We have a key role to play in supporting our community and networks in times of crisis and loss. This charter is about how we can work together towards extending the support we give to people at a most difficult time in their life”.

The initiative which is being co-ordinated and led by Gail Wilson, Deputy Director of Clinical Services at St Luke’s, said: “Across the city and the wider communities there are many examples of individuals and groups going the extra mile to support people during times of sickness, bereavement and loss, from providing a listening ear to helping with practical things such as walking the dog and collecting shopping.

“I have been amazed by what various organisations and individuals across the city have achieved in the past 18 months, with the support of the compassionate community team at St Luke’s .This is really a great start but there is much more to do, so I would encourage anybody who wants to be involved to sign up to the network and join us, so together we can create compassionate networks where we live and work so that no-one at end of life or experiencing bereavement and loss feels isolated or alone.”

For more information about the EOL Compassionate City Charter click here.

,

BLOG: Compassionate Community of Kingsbridge

 

With the help of a generous grant from Hospice UK, St Luke’s has been able to kick-start a compassionate community in Kingsbridge, Devon. The initiative ensures that no matter how far out you live, support will be available for those at end of life and those caring for them.

“I’m thrilled so many people have come forward to support me and my partner. The thought alone has made me feel less isolated and alone.”

As an older person living in a rural town, trying to care for your terminally ill partner while living with your own health conditions, you can easily feel forgotten, especially with no family close by to help. But – thanks to the innovative way St Luke’s is using grant funding awarded by Hospice UK – we’ve been making an important difference in the South Hams town of Kingsbridge, including to the 71-year-old lady quoted above.

Steve Statham, CEO at St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth said: “Thanks to significant funding from Hospice UK, we are breaking down taboos around death and dying and empowering people local people in the rural town of Kingsbridge, Devon to put compassion at the heart of the community so that no-one feels left behind. In a location like this, where it can be more difficult for people to access all kinds of services, including end of life care, local people, voluntary groups and businesses are coming together to show kindness and give practical support to terminally ill people and those caring for them who would otherwise risk isolation and loneliness.

“It isn’t just the financial help from Hospice UK that makes a difference though. The national platform the charity provides through its campaigns raises awareness of the challenges our sector faces, helps us recruit and retain staff, and highlights the ongoing need for Government investment in our services.”

Earlier this year, we reported on the appointment of Robyn Newport as St Luke’s Community Network Co-ordinator for Kingsbridge and surrounding areas, where our At Home team looks after terminally ill people nearing end of life, and supports their families.

Over the past ten months, Robyn has been busy getting to know residents, local business owners, voluntary groups and healthcare services to get more insight into what matters to them when it comes to terminal illness, looking after someone with a life-limiting diagnosis, and how the community has been impacted by loss.

The listening ears and helping hands of the Compassionate Friends trained have helped shape the Compassionate End of Life Care Community in Kingsbridge, which – being in a rural area – is all the more in need since those living there can find it harder to access services of all kinds, including the expert care that’s so vital when your time is running short.

Robyn said: “St Luke’s is committed to coming alongside the communities we serve to realise the potential of informal networks and develop more effective ways to provide support that enhances wellbeing, prevents loneliness and isolation and increases choice for people at the end of their life, so they can die in familiar surroundings with those they love.”

“It’s a been a real privilege getting to know so many people, and it’s clear there’s so much care and compassion in this area. We now have over 75 Compassionate Friends trained across the town – people who lend a helping hand or listening ear to friends and neighbours who have a terminal illness or are affected by loss. We also have Compassionate Friend Champions running awareness sessions and co-ordinators who can help families to organise additional support from local Compassionate Friends.

“Our training is helping people to talk more openly and honestly, helping to break down the taboos around death, dying and bereavement, and bust the unhelpful myths that surround them. They’re seeing how listening and having more compassionate conversations within their own circles, and doing small things to help people at times of crisis or loss, such as making them a meal or doing their shopping, can make a big difference.”

Local businesses are also stepping up to help customers and clients who might be in need of some support. Among them are HAC Hairdressing, Kingsbridge Youth for Christ, and Blooming Organised, a decluttering service.

Robyn has also come alongside Kingsbridge Community College, which is working towards becoming a Compassionate School. With her input, the school is developing and embedding bereavement policies and procedures, electing sixthformers as Compassionate Buddies, and an additional 220 Year 9 students have attended a Compassionate Buddies awareness session, ensuring no student facing loss feels left behind.

In the coming months, Robyn is looking to train more Compassionate Friends, Champions and Co-ordinators in the South Hams area and will continue to grow Compassionate Networks around those with a terminal diagnosis, as well as their loved ones. In addition, she is also working to launch the first Compassionate Café in the Kingsbridge area.

If you, or someone you know living in the area, could benefit from the support, or you would like to receive training so you can help, please contact St Luke’s Education team at education@stlukes-hospice.org.uk.

Our Care

Support us

Courses

Information