Enhancing the quality of care for patients in all care settings through partnership collaboration, advice and education

The Day Hospice

You may be referred to Day Hospice for one of the following reasons:

To meet other patients in similar situations.

To provide the opportunity for your family or carer to have a day off from caring

To meet other members of the clinical team or for the Day Hospice nurses to monitor your symptoms,

Illness can have a major emotional and physical impact and Oakhaven provides a range of other services which can help you and your family adapt.

Day Hospice is open for three days a week, from 10.30am until 3.30pm. We can welcome up to twelve patients each day.

A twelve week placement will normally be offered to you. This can be extended if the goals we set with you are not achieved within that time or if new problems arise.

The Day Hospice team is led by an experienced nursing sister.  All of the nurses on the team have a special interest and experience in palliative care and work closely with Oakhaven's doctors and your own general practitioner and district nursing teams.
Included in the team are two part time activity co-ordinators.  They organise a wide range of activities, for example, pottery, painting, poetry, singing, flower arranging and many varied talks each day.

We have an excellent team of volunteers who work within the Day Hospice team, they help with serving drinks and meals, chatting, and driving you to and from Day Hospice.

A delicious cooked lunch is provided from the hospice kitchen for you and most dietary needs can be catered for.

We have access to the beautiful garden at Pennington Chase, and in the summer we take full advantage of this with afternoon tea outside and walks round the garden.

The day comes to a close following tea and a piece of Betty's famous cake!

Other Members of the Team might help you in the following ways:

The Doctors
All patients who have not previously been seen by the doctors will have an introductory assessment during their first 2-3 weeks attending Day Hospice.

All patients coming to Day Hospice remain under the care of their usual GP but at times may benefit from the specialist skills of the hospice doctors.  An appointment can be arranged during your normal Day Hospice day visit.

Counsellors
Our trained Oakhaven counsellors come in to the Day Hospice to offer support to those patients that might find it helpful to talk through some of the emotional difficulties of their illness.

Chaplain
A chaplain is available in day hospice to offer patients spiritual support and care or simply to offer a listening ear.  Communion can also be arranged for those that would like it.

Physiotherapy
In Day Hospice you will have access to the services of the physiotherapy team.  By discussing those things most important to you we always aim to support your independence and function by prioritising your needs and enabling you to maintain as much control as possible.

Exploring your potential and setting realistic goals we can help manage your symptoms of breathlessness and anxiety, pain and fatigue.  We may also be able to help with mobility difficulties.

We run gentle exercise classes in day hospice which you may find an enjoyable  way of keeping your limbs supple and mobile.

We  supply aids and equipment and written information and advice

Complementary therapy
The complementary therapy co-ordinator or one of the team of complementary therapy volunteers offer treatments to day hospice patients during their time at day hospice. A combination of treatments may be offered to you and these may include a back massage, face and scalp or hand and foot massage.  Treatments may be given for relaxation or symptom management.

The Carers Day
We recognise that looking after someone who is very ill can be tiring, frightening and stressful and those of you caring for someone who is under the care of Oakhaven,  are offered the opportunity to attend a carers' day once a month. This gives you the opportunity to meet other carers, and to receive any practical support that may be required for example, techniques for managing breathlessness or stress, information about the various state benefits available and advice about aromatherapy oils to aid relaxation.
Every carers' day includes the chance for a  massage, or just the opportunity to rest. We also arrange a different activity each month, such as flower arranging, music, art or a talk from a wide range of guest speakers.