I trust the people here, it’s my only safe space to come out and be social

Living with a life-limiting condition brings many challenges.  One common issue is leaving the house and being social as patients find it becomes increasing difficult to get out and about, due to stopping driving, mobility issues or the fear of picking up a virus and the complications this might bring.

We spoke to Linda, who recently joined our Day Hospice group, about how it has helped her.  Although living in Wendover, she is under the care of the regional sarcoma unit at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford and knew very little about the support available for Buckinghamshire patients.

“My condition makes breathing very difficult and I looked for a local exercise class which would help with this.  It was there that I met a physio who suggested I should attend an assessment at the Hospice.

I was really reluctant to come to the Hospice, even just for the assessment – I really didn’t think it was for me, I wasn’t ready to come through these doors.  But my oncologist advised me to stick with it, and they were right.  I now look forward to coming here each week.

Because of my issues with breathing I’ve been advised by my doctors to not mix with the public due the risks that colds, flu and Covid present to me.  I am now very careful about who I share space with and don’t really go out anywhere.  I get my shopping delivered so now this is the main place that I go each week.

I trust the people here, it’s my only safe space to come out and be social. 

There are so many benefits to coming to Day Hospice.  I get to take part in the art therapies; there is such variety, I’ve done fabric painting, flowering arranging, mosaics and drawing.  Karen, the art therapist, is always there to help.  The volunteer therapists are amazing – my condition means I carry a lot of tension in my neck and shoulders and I can have a massage here each week to relax my muscles and reduce stress.

But the biggest benefit has been the access to professionals who know me and my condition.  I can talk to them about any concerns I have, and they can signpost me to other services or find a doctor to look at my medication without any issues.  I don’t have to worry about getting an appointment with my GP. They’ve helped me find more support locally which was something that was really missing for me.

I found the word ‘hospice’ so off-putting but now I would tell anyone, ‘don’t be afraid’. The Hospice is calming, reassuring and supportive and has helped open my world back up.”

Day Hospice supports patients who are living independently with a progressive life-limiting illness.

The sessions offer individual care for patients through therapeutic treatments, pain and symptom relief and a range of psychological support.

Patients have access to a team of specialists including Nurses, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Doctors, Complementary Therapists, Spiritual Care Team and Creative Therapist.

There is no cost for patients to attend Day Hospice, which is a service commissioned by the charity and made possible thanks to the ongoing generosity of our supporters.