Hospice at Home: Hospice at Home continues as normal using a ‘phone ahead’ protocol where staff check before a visit:
a) if the person still wants someone to enter their house
b) if anyone in the house has COVID symptoms
As well as supporting community nursing teams to care for patients with palliative needs, they are also providing care for other patients, helping to keep people out of hospital. Working with local NHS teams, we aim to maintain a good level of support within the community.
Many people want to spend their last days in the comfort and familiarity of their own home. Our Hospice at Home team can provide specialist personalised nursing care and support to help make staying at home possible.
Our Hospice at Home team consists of Registered Nurses and Health Care Assistants who are experienced in palliative care, supported by the hospice medical team. We cover a large geographical area within South Lakes, Furness Peninsular, Millom, Ambleside and Windermere areas.
Who is this service for?
This service is for people in the last weeks and days of life, who wish to remain at home.
What can the service do?
We will support you and your family through home visits, telephone support and by working closely with your GP, Community Nurse, Specialist Nurse and other health and social care professionals.
Our Hospice at Home team provide one-to-one care specific to your needs, which may include:
- Personal care
- Symptom management
- Support for family carers
- Night sitting and care service to allow a family carer to get a night’s sleep
- Day respite care for families/carers
- Emotional and psychological support
When people want to die at home Hospice at Home can respond quickly to put support in place to avoid someone being admitted to hospital or, if someone is already in hospital or the hospice, to support them to come home quickly.
Our Hospice at Home team can also support people who are living in nursing homes and care homes.
Night Sitting Service:
Overnight, an experienced Health Care Assistant can be with one patient in their home all night from 10pm until 7am, to allow families to rest. Our Health Care Assistant does not sleep. They will either sit with the patient or close by and attend to their needs through the night. If required, they will contact Cumbria Health On Call (CHOC) to support management of symptoms overnight.
Our Night Sitters just need access to a toilet, a comfortable seat with a lamp close by and the facility to make a hot drink.
The team cover a large geographical area, from Walney to Ambleside, and Millom to Grange with everything in-between.
Day Respite Care:
We have some hours available each week to provide a family carer with respite during the day. This could be to attend an appointment, meet with friends or just to take a walk. Day Respite care is provided by an experienced Health Care Assistant who can provide personal care as required.
How can I access Hospice at Home support?
Referrals can be made through your GP, Community Nurse or other healthcare professionals involved in your care. You can also refer yourself.
Once a referral has been received, a nurse will visit you and your family to discuss what your needs are to remain at home. Your care will then be tailored to your specific needs. The amount of care that you receive may increase or decrease depending on how your needs change.
Patient Feedback:
“It was very comforting to know they were there for all the family”
“It gave me a ray of hope and cheered me along. The girls were so helpful and down to earth.”
Hospice at Home Leaflet
For more information about our Hospice at Home service, just click below to download our latest leaflet.
We have been incredibly fortunate over the last year to have the continued financial support of Sir John Fisher Foundation towards the running costs of our Hospice at Home Service. Support from The Masonic Foundation, Hadfield Trust and Albert Hunt Trust alongside community support has ensured we can continue to deliver our core services.