At Isabel Hospice our care never stops. We look after patients in their own homes and in our In-Patient Unit 365 days of the year (366 days in 2024!).
Whilst many people will look forward to the festive season as a time of fun, food and family coming together, for the those living with life-limiting illness the experience can be entirely different and for those who are bereaved, times of celebration can be some of the hardest days to get through. Isabel Hospice strives to be the constant that people can rely on during this time and provide care when people need it most.
Our care continues, no matter the day. Lea van der Niet, Lead Nurse in our Hospice at Home team was just one of team who worked over the Christmas period. On Christmas day she was based within our In-Patient Unit and was visiting patients at home out in the community. Lea said, “for us Christmas day is like any other day of the year, visiting patients who need us. Our aim is to provide the support patients need whether it will be help with managing difficult symptoms, supporting patients at the end of life or help with personal care.”
It is not only the patients that receive our support, Lea shared “such a big part of our role is in supporting the families that are caring for their loved ones. For someone who is nearing the end-of-life, Christmas becomes a milestone to aim for.” Our team will often provide a lifeline of support during these times, offering both practical and emotional support to help families navigate through each day.
Lea was joined on Christmas day by other members of our community palliative care team. Claire Harding-Edwards one of our Health Care Support workers, also visiting patients at home and Janice Penman, Clinical Nurse Specialist who was managing our 24-hour advice line. This line exists to ensure that support is always available for anyone needing advice or support, we are only a phone call away.
Our teams go above and beyond to ensure that our patients and service users are still able to enjoy this time of year and have a special experience and we couldn’t do this without the support of our community.
To name just a few instances, in December our In-Patient Unit was visited by the Ridgeway Academy school who had generously created a festive box of treats for each patient on the IPU to open on Christmas day. They contained edible goodies, games, toiletries, and even fluffy socks! We were also treated to a special visit from the Hertford based All Saints Church Choir, who walked through our IPU, singing carols as they went – a truly special moment bringing the magic of the season into the Hospice.
Not forgetting the incredible outpouring of support, we have seen across our ‘Care at Christmas’ fundraising campaign, in which we have pledged to raise 120,000 and we are almost at our goal!
As we move forward into the new year, our commitment to providing outstanding palliative care to all remains at the forefront. No matter the day or time, we are here to support you and make a difference in the lives of those that we care for. As more people become increasingly in need of our services, we would like to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has supported us this past year, enabling us to continue to provide our care.
