Building work is currently in progress at Oakhaven that may impact parking. We recommend you plan additional time before your appointment. Please contact 01590 670346 if you have any queries.

People

Nurses needed to expand service

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Oakhaven Hospice is launching an urgent recruitment campaign for more nurses to expand its service.

The priority is community nurses and night nurses but the Hospice, in Lower Pennington Lane, Lymington, is also looking for extra nurses who can help cover both day- and night-shifts as well as potentially work both within community and in-patient teams.

The campaign will include social media appeals and billboards in Hampshire and Dorset as well as traditional recruitment advertising.

Posters and messages used in the campaign are inspired by the experiences of current nurses at the Hospice and how they describe working there.

Lucy Smith, Director of Patient Services, said: “More people in our New Forest catchment area need our help and we are recruiting additional nursing staff to make sure we can be there for patients, their families and their carers when they need us most.

“We have now permanently increased our number of beds from eight to ten.  This latest recruitment drive will enable us to offer up to four more beds as we did during lockdown to support the NHS, bringing the total to 14.”

Lucy added: “For the first time, we are also introducing the concept of ‘virtual beds’. This means that the extra capacity we are creating includes additional rooms within the Hospice, but it can also be care that we provide in people’s own homes or elsewhere.

“The over-riding aim is to provide the best quality of care for patients in the best place for them while also reducing pressure on hospital beds.”

Oakhaven Hospice, which serves most of the New Forest including Totton and the Waterside, employs over 20 nurses along with doctors and other specialist staff.  The Hospice also supports patients and their families in their own homes and provides a range of wellbeing and complementary therapy support.

Special open days to tackle nurse shortage

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Nurses working in their ward office

Oakhaven Hospice is holding three special recruitment open days to help tackle a nurse shortage.

The Hospice, in Lower Pennington Lane, Lymington, urgently needs extra day and night nurses to staff the In-Patient Unit at the heart of its service.  A number of staff have retired recently or moved areas.

The informal drop-in style open days, including a tour of the Hospice, will be held on Thursday 5 August 1.00pm – 4.30pm (especially aimed at Registered General Nurses and nursing associates), Tuesday 10th August 1.00pm – 4.30pm and Monday 6 September 10.30am – 2.30pm in the Coates Centre at the Hospice.

Lucy Smith, Director of Patient Services, said: ‘The work of a hospice can be a mystery, even to other healthcare professionals.  Open days give us the opportunity to welcome interested nurses and often to surprise.

‘Many who work in the NHS are keen to spend more time with patients and that is exactly what we do.  NHS pensions can be transferred. We can show just how rewarding it is to work in palliative care.  And we offer beautiful surroundings.

Lucy added: ‘The pandemic has put huge pressures on all aspects of healthcare and hospices are no exception.  At Oakhaven we expanded our services during lockdown to support the NHS but now we need to fill the gaps in our staffing rota to ensure that we can continue to provide the end-of-life care that our patients and their families deserve.’

Jenny Butler, Ward Manager at the Hospice, said: ‘Open days are a fantastic way for nurses to find out about us and what we do.  It’s actually how I joined 17 years ago – Oakhaven did a recruitment day.

‘Many of our nurses stay with us for a long time, so this is a rare opportunity to join a special team providing care that is hugely valued by patients and relatives.’

Oakhaven Hospice, which serves most of the New Forest including Totton and the Waterside, employs over 20 nurses along with doctors and other specialist staff.  The Hospice also supports patients and their families in their own homes and provides a range of wellbeing and complementary therapy support.

The Year of the Nurse is remembered with a fabulous Mosimann’s cake.

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A cake by Mosimann’s at Royal Lymington Yacht Club (RLymYC) was presented to the Oakhaven team to mark “Year of the Nurse” which coincides with this most challenging year for nurses everywhere.

Oakhaven Nurses and Professor Paul Dobson, Chairman receive Thank You cake donated by Royal Lymington Yacht Club and Mosimann’s.
Oakhaven Nurses and Professor Paul Dobson receive cake from Royal Lymington Yacht Club and Mosimann’s.

“Oakhaven Hospice is very close to our members’ hearts and we hope that this small gesture of a cake made by our new restaurant partners, Mosimann’s, will thank everyone for the hard work they have put in during this, the most difficult of years,” said Roger Garlick, Commodore of Royal Lymington Yacht Club.

Andrew Ryde, Chief Executive of Oakhaven Hospice thanked RLymYC and explained: “We are incredibly fortunate to have a wonderful team of specialist Nurses, Health Care Assistants, Carers and many other support staff and volunteers, all of whom make Oakhaven a calm, caring, friendly and professional haven for patients facing the end of life.”

“This year, more than ever, we’d like to thank our team who have worked tirelessly to deal with the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic. Whilst finding ways to cope with a national shortage of PPE and Covid-19 tests and scrupulously following ever-changing expert advice, they have all the while continued to provide the high levels of specialist care and support needed by patients and their loved ones.”

Specialist care and support throughout the year

Mosimann’s chef Nick Hebditch presents a cake to Oakhaven nurses to thank the team for their hard work.
Mosimann’s chef Nick Hebditch presents the cake to Oakhaven to thank the team for their hard work.

Our nurses have continued to support patients and their families throughout the pandemic whether that is out in the community or in the hospice itself. This has been an incredibly challenging year for all clinicians providing care, but it is very appropriate that 2020 is the official year of the nurse and gives us all an opportunity to recognise the amazing work they do. We are very pleased that the Royal Lymington Yacht Club and Mosimann’s have so generously provided this cake in recognition of our nurses and other carers.

Rose Walford, one of Oakhaven’s clinical nurse specialists working as part of the community nursing team for the hospice, said “We are so proud to be able to make a difference for our patients. Without the support of Oakhaven Hospice they would struggle to manage in their own homes; with our ability to take our nursing care to them, they are able to stay where they feel most comfortable: at home.”

“Reacting to guidelines and implementing change was a daily occurrence for our whole team, all of whom ‘took it in their stride’ and did so with great spirit and a smile,” said Jenny Butler, Ward Manager at the hospice.

“It is important to remember that it was not just the care staff, nurses and doctors who had to learn a new way to go about their work, but facilities, housekeeping, and the kitchen staff too.

“Although this year has had its fair share of sadness, shock, anger and ‘bewilderment’ it has also shown us all how lucky we are to work in such a caring community – and remembering such this has kept the spirit and smiles flowing. We are truly grateful that at a time of great personal challenge for all, we have remained in our community’s hearts and minds.”

Thank you for your support

Thank you cake for Oakhaven Hospice baked by Nick Hebditch of Mosimann’s at RLymYC.
Thank you cake for Oakhaven Hospice baked by Nick Hebditch of Mosimann’s at RLymYC.

Oakhaven Hospice are thankful to businesses and individuals throughout the New Forest, Waterside and Totton community who donated much-needed PPE when it was scarce, delivered homemade masks for staff and hearts for patients and their loved ones. Pictures, treats and messages of support have also been very gratefully received.

2020 has been a tough year financially for Oakhaven Hospice. Only 14% of Oakhaven Hospice’s costs are provided by the NHS. The rest has to be covered by other means, such as donations, legacies, the charity’s shops and of course fundraising. The Covid pandemic has hit Oakhaven hard, with charity shops closed and fundraising events cancelled or curtailed.

How you can help

Oakhaven Giving is Oakhaven Hospice’s new regular giving initiative. If every adult across the New Forest, Totton and Waterside community each gives the cost of a cup of coffee, just once a month, together we will provide the entire annual needs of our hospice. Together we’re stronger so let’s help each other! Find out more here.

There are many other ways to help Oakhaven in 2021. If you are able to, make a donation or leave a gift in your Will. You might like to volunteer some time – perhaps as a member of the Hospice Neighbours team or for an Oakhaven shop.

Sign up for our monthly email newsletter to keep informed of our latest events, news and opportunities here.

Anticipatory Grief – What Is It and How Do We Recognise It?

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 By Mette Nielsen, Counsellor.

Every one of us will be experiencing the loss of a loved one during our lives. Some of us will be carers for a short or a long time due to illness or a life limiting condition. We may experience feelings and emotions which we find distressing and difficult to manage and this is known as ‘anticipatory grief’. Recognising anticipatory grief may help to make the most of the time you have together.

What is Anticipatory Grief?

You may mourn the loss of the person you are caring for even while they are still alive. The grief you are feeling may not only be for the person who is dying but the life you currently lead. Your life and relationships may have changed dramatically when you became a carer. You will have taken on a great responsibility and may find you are no longer able to plan things, which can be stressful and might leave you feeling guilty. You might have fear, anxiety or panic about “What is going to happen next?” and “How will I manage?” which can take a great toll on your mental wellbeing and stability. This may lead you to feeling unable to concentrate or being distracted. These are normal when you experience anticipatory grief.

The process of anticipatory grief is described as three stages:

  • Experiencing shock about the upcoming loss
  • Denying the reality of the loss
  • Eventual acceptance

 

What are the signs of Anticipatory Grief?

Anticipatory grief is a normal part of mourning when someone is expecting a death. The signs of anticipatory grief are similar to the grief we feel after someone has died. You may be feeling a whole host of things like anger, frustration, desperation, depression, anxiety, isolation, panic, insecurity, guilt, shame or even being fed up. These are all normal and natural to feel as part of the process.

Not everyone will experience this or you might feel reluctant to talk about how you feel because you may think that it will take the focus away from the person who is dying. Although you may feel it is inappropriate to say it out loud, you may wish that it was all over. It is also natural to feel like that. It is important to remember that we all experience grief in different ways.

Anticipatory Grief includes some differences to the grief we feel after someone has died, and you might experience the following:

  • Increasing concern for the dying
  • Imagining or visualising what the person’s death will be like
  • Preparing for what life will be like after a loved one is gone
  • Attending to unfinished business with the dying person

 

How can we best use this time?

This time can be particularly helpful for various reasons as it allows time to prepare and time to talk.

  • Allow feelings of grief to help you prepare – understand the stages of grief, how they may affect people differently. Express your feelings through talking to a friend or family member, a counsellor or a spiritual or religious mentor.
  • Educate yourself about what to expect – research a particular illness or condition or read about other people’s experiences and how they have overcome similar difficulties.
  • Connect with others may have similar experiences – contact local support groups or charities. Being able to talk about and share your experience with others who have some understanding will help to reduce stress and feelings of isolation and loneliness.
  • Enlist help and continue to live your life – Reach out to services such as hospices and other healthcare providers for help and advice. They can offer professional support and guidance with additional care, funding, and other financial, medical and psychological support you may need.
  • Include your friends and family- keep them updated on what is going on and don’t forget to ask for help and support from them too.
  • Create moments your loved one can enjoy – looking at photographs, reminiscing of fond memories and telling stories, playing your favourite games, listening to your favourite songs together.

 

You will be experiencing feelings and emotions which may be distressing and difficult to manage, however, you can minimize the anxiety and stress of anticipatory grief by staying physically and mentally healthy.  Here are some helpful practices and you can do whatever you feel works best for you:

  • Manage your stress
  • Be realistic
  • Give yourself credit, not guilt
  • Take a break
  • Eat a healthy diet
  • Accept that there will be changes in your loved one’s health status
  • Know you aren’t alone

 

 

Helplines and information:

www.mind.org.uk

www.cancerresearch.uk

https://www.thegoodgrieftrust.org/need-know-info/pre-bereavement-advice/

Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/stonewall-strong/201908/how-resilient-people-get-through-anticipatory-grief

Oakhaven Hospice Shops to reopen on 2 December

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On Wednesday 2nd December all of the Oakhaven Hospice shops will be reopening, each shop will be open from 10am to 4.30pm, Monday to Saturday, and will have social distancing measures in place to safeguard customers, volunteers and staff.

The Oakhaven Shops team ask that everyone kindly respects the new social distancing instructions in each shop. Payment by card will be the preferred method of payment and since the team can no longer reuse plastic carrier bags, it would be advisable to bring your own bags for your purchases.

Where possible all donations will now be accepted between 10am and 4pm Monday to Saturday at our Outlet centre located at Ampress park, alternatively please call our High Street branches you will be taking small/single items for donation.

To donate items of furniture, please send photos to warehouse@oakhavenretail.co.uk.
Furniture needs to meet certain criteria which the team will explain when responding to your messages and depending on space within the shop they may not be able to receive the items immediately.

Please note that due to health and safety regulations the following items of furniture and furnishings cannot be accepted: computers, duvets and pillows, gas appliances, white electrical goods, upholstered furniture without a fire label or no longer in a clean and sellable condition.

For further enquiries about the Oakhaven Hospice Shops, contact Ann Newton on ann.newton@oakhavenretail.co.uk.

Organising a Funeral During the Covid-19 Pandemic

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By Paul Hatchard, Chaplain

When a loved one dies, one of the last things we do for that person is to arrange their funeral.  Although this can be upsetting, making these arrangements can play an important role in the grieving process as we try to come to terms with our loss.

As with so many things at the moment, current restrictions mean that the way a funeral is organised has had to change.  This is the same whether a person has died due to Covid-19 or any other causes.

When you contact your funeral director to discuss the arrangements, they will be able to tell you about the restrictions that are sadly in place, which can vary between funeral firms and also between crematoria.

Be assured; funeral directors will work hard to accommodate all that you ask for, but they are also required to do all they can to minimise the risk of infection both to the group of mourners and to all those key support workers involved in organising the funeral.  Therefore, when you contact them they will be able to advise on such things as:

  • whether or not it will be possible to visit your loved one in the Chapel of Rest;
  • whether limousines or transport other than the hearse can be provided;
  • whether the family are able to act as coffin bearers;
  • whether the curtains are able to remain open during the service.

In line with Government guidance, funeral services should only be attended by immediate family who are not in a high-risk category, not self-isolating and do not have any symptoms of Covid-19.  Advice is to have as small a group as possible to attend the service and many funeral directors are limiting this to ten people or less.

Those who do attend will be asked to follow social distancing guidelines unless they are there with members from their own household.  This means staying two metres apart from other people and not being able to embrace or hug them.

Of course these restrictions can be upsetting for the bereaved family and it may feel that the funeral you want for your loved one is not going to be possible.

Do remember that once restrictions have been lifted, it might be possible to hold a memorial service to celebrate the life of the person you have lost and perhaps at that time you can include some of the things you think are missing from the funeral.  And of course, you will be able to invite everyone who would like to attend.

For those unable to attend the funeral, there are some things that can be done to make people feel a part of the service:

  • Discuss with the funeral director if they can live stream the service;
  • Have someone film it or take photos to share afterwards;
  • Give everyone you would normally contact, the date and time of the funeral so that people are able to mark the occasion in their own homes should they wish to do so. This could be by lighting a candle, reading a prayer or playing a significant piece of music.

People can be asked to share a memory about the deceased which can be collated and shared at some future point, perhaps at a memorial service.

Below are some further links which you may find helpful:

Cruse: https://www.cruse.org.uk/coronavirus/funerals

Government Guidance on Funerals: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/guidance-updated-to-support-the-safe-management-of-funerals

National Association of Funeral Directors: https://nafd.org.uk/funeral-advice/

Also, for those who have been cared for by Oakhaven, the Oakhaven Chaplaincy team is able to assist with funeral planning and leading of services. For more information ask for a Help Planning a Funeral booklet and/or email FAS@oakhavenhospice.co.uk or contact the Oakhaven Chaplain on 01590 670346 or paul.hatchard@oakhavenhospice.co.uk