How North Devon Hospice is there to help you and your family

If you haven’t experienced the warm embrace of hospice care before, you might imagine that it’s only available to people in their very last stages of life.

While that is true, at North Devon Hospice, we often begin supporting patients and families as soon as they receive a palliative diagnosis and are there throughout the days, months and sometimes, years that follow to offer care, comfort, and reassurance.

For us in the supportive care team, our hope is to work with families during this journey to help build people’s emotional and physical resilience at what is always an incredibly challenging time.

Whether you’re a patient or a loved one, the prospect of dying or finding a way to live when facing a terminal diagnosis can feel frightening and overwhelming.

We’re here to help families come to terms with this and focus on what’s important in their lives right now.

As we embrace the start of a new year, I’m delighted to share that we in the supportive care team are launching a new programme for 2024 that will help to provide ongoing emotional support for all those in our care.

This includes a diverse range of wellbeing activities, therapeutic groups, and social events, with the aim of meeting people’s needs in a variety of ways.

When someone is first referred to North Devon Hospice, we invite them to a ‘Welcome’ session, which is held at our main site at Deer Park (Barnstaple).

This is a chance to get a sense of the tranquil surroundings of the hospice and to hear about the range of support we can offer you throughout your journey. It’s also an opportunity for us to get to know you a little better and together, find the thing that will help you most.

For those looking to connect with others in the community going through a similar experience, both our patients group and carers group offer a safe and informal space, where you can share your feelings and explore your emotions.

For those who attend, these groups can provide a comforting support network – something that’s always important in difficult times.

Alongside this, patients and carers can attend Together in the Art Room sessions, which provide a welcoming space to make and create.

Others might prefer social events such as Time Together at The Long House in Holsworthy – an informal space to meet new people, form friendships or receive advice and support from us and our community nurse.

Young families receiving hospice care can be part of our Twilight or Here and Now groups, both of which provide an opportunity for children and their adult family members to express their feelings together.

They can do this creatively through art activities or as part of outdoor sessions, in the calming surroundings of our beautiful hospice gardens.

Alongside these specific groups, our Wellbeing Days give patients and carers the chance to catch up and enjoy a relaxing day of complementary therapies at The Long House.

Similarly, our monthly Lunch Club at Deer Park allows people to check in with others in the warm and welcoming setting of our Terrace Café. On a side note, our café is open to the public – it’s a gorgeous open space with wonderful views over our stunning gardens.

Taking a holistic approach to nourishing the mind, body, and spirit, our Mindfulness sessions happen on a regular basis both online and in-person and help our minds to settle amidst chaotic times.

Alongside these, patients, carers, and those bereaved can also join our Quiet Space – a space for silence and spiritual reflection.

However, those looking for a more physical release may prefer our Gentle Yoga workshops – simple stretching and breath work for the mind and body.

If you’re living with the impacts of a life-limiting illness, we hope this programme offers something that can help.

To find out more about our support, please call us on 01271 344248 or email info@northdevonhospice.org.uk.