As a family support counsellor at Isabel Hospice, Fiona Brown has been providing emotional and bereavement support and counselling to patients, carers and loved ones for just over three years.
“I love being a member of the Isabel Hospice team and am passionate about the work I do. The role is hugely rewarding and allows me to connect with many different people from whom I learn so much.” says Fiona.
“The emotional support we provide to patients and their families can make a real difference to their mental wellbeing at a challenging time in their lives,” she says. “By providing a space in which they are truly heard, can explore their issues and worries and hopefully better understand themselves and each other.”
Fiona is a vital part of the holistic care we provide at Isabel Hospice. Through counselling sessions – be that face to face, or over the phone – she works to ensure that no matter what the individual is experiencing, they are supported in a way that they are comfortable with. Working alongside the wider Family Support team who offer a range of supportive services including spiritual care, bereavement service and art therapy and our children’s service.
Fiona will always begin her day by addressing any new referrals, she explains “We aim to contact people who have been referred to Family Support services within 3 working days. Our contact needs to be timely to ensure that support is available when it’s needed most.”
Accounting for the biggest part of her day, Fiona explained more about the counselling sessions she conducts, saying “They are so varied and are always catered to the individual needs. It could be a patient in need of emotional support or a family member seeking guidance on how to cope with grief, or just a safe space to discuss their feelings. We provide a safe and confidential space so they can talk things through without fear of judgment and build their understanding of themselves and others.”
Also in her day, Fiona works hard to create special moments within the In-Patient Unit setting. She said “Sometimes at the In-Patient Unit, patients like to be able to give the children in their family a carefully chosen handmade patchwork quilt or hospice teddy. It can be important for families to have a keepsake that brings them comfort during their grief and is a way of sharing special memories. If I can assist in creating a memory box that tells the story of their loved one’s life, it is something that they can cherish forever.”
“Also, within the In-Patient Unit we have the Sanctuary; a peaceful room in which patients, visitors, staff and volunteers can take some time to reflect, write in our book of remembrance, pray or simply take a quiet breather during their day. I like to light the candles in there and ensure that the space is welcoming for anyone who needs it.”
Once the Sanctuary room is ready for visitors, Fiona will visit any new patients in the In-Patient Unit to introduce herself and explain how she can provide support for them and their family. She said “Providing patients the opportunity to talk to someone impartial and understanding at this point in their journey is hugely important. Sometimes people can feel inhibited from sharing their struggles with family and friends as they are worried about burdening them. Perhaps they want to talk through some worries about their family or their fears about what the future holds.”
Towards the end of her day Fiona will attend a weekly multi-disciplinary meeting, wherein colleagues from different areas of Isabel care, including the medical, nursing and therapy teams, come together to discuss the care we are providing to patients and their families, plans to address their symptoms and any goals and preparations for discharge.
Fiona said, “These meetings ensure that the whole team is clear about the holistic care needed for each individual and are an essential part of my job,” she says. “They provide a space for staff with different specialisms to collaborate, discuss the needs, wishes and goals of our patients and agree on the optimal courses of action to address these needs. This ensures that the whole hospice team are communicating effectively and are clear and coordinated in the care we provide.”
Reflecting on her day and wider role at Isabel, Fiona said: “I find my job hugely fulfilling and meaningful. I enjoy connecting with patients and their families, learning their stories and what is important to them and being part of the wonderful Isabel Hospice team. I value the opportunity to support people at a time when they may be really struggling and working together with them to make a difference in their life.”
If you or a loved one would like to learn more about the work that our Family Support does or wish to enquire about more details or sessions, please go to: https://www.isabelhospice.org.uk/supporting-you/family-support/
