Help the Hospices
About Help the Hospices
Help the Hospices is the UK’s leading charity for hospice care, founded in 1984, which supports and champions hospices across the UK. The majority of our member hospices provide care for adults but also include those who provide support for children and young people
Hospices provide high quality, personalised care for people with terminal illnesses and life limiting-conditions, helping them to live as fully as possible for the precious time they have left and also supporting their families
Our vision is that everyone with a terminal illness or life-limiting condition, or who is at the end of their life, is able to receive dignified and compassionate care tailored to their needs and preferences
What we do
We support more than 200 hospices across the UK in different ways to deliver high quality, person-centred care
We provide a central support organisation and a national voice for hospices
We provide specialist advice and guidance to nurses, doctors, bereavement counsellors, social workers and therapists on clinical and operational issues
We drive innovation, learning and knowledge-sharing and promote this throughout the hospice sector
We provide financial assistance for hospices and help them maximise their fundraising income
What our member hospices provide:
In-patient care
Many hospices have a dedicated specialist palliative care unit staffed by clinical teams with highly specialised skills in dealing with the physical and emotional effects of life-limiting conditions. Hospices provide a high standard of clinical care and specialise in managing complex symptoms, including pain relief
Day Care
Day Care is an integral part of hospice care and provides personalised care in a homely and relaxing environment
It enables patients to socialise with others in a similar situation, as well as having the chance to discuss all aspects of their condition with a nurse
If a patient has particular physical, social, emotional or spiritual needs, these can be discussed with staff who can link them in with other specialist services
Day care also enables patients to take part in creative activities such as artwork or relax with social activities or complementary therapies such as massage or reflexology
These activities can help revitalise patients and provide valuable respite for carers and family members
Hospices provide high quality nursing care to people in their own homes. This includes specialist advice on symptom control and also spiritual and psychological support. Most hospice care is provided in people’s homes
Extending support to relatives or friends looking after someone with a life-limiting condition is a key part of the hospice ethos of care
Many people find caring a rewarding role but it can also be hard work and stressful and affect their job, finances, social life and personal well-being
Hospices can help providing information and advice, especially on navigating the complex care system, as well as providing emotional support. Services for carers provided in most hospices can include:
• Individual and group counselling through Family Services
• Complementary therapy (such as massage and reflexology)
• Bereavement Services
• Self-help techniques for relaxation
• Giving carers personal time through planned carer support
Hospices have strong expertise in providing support for bereaved relatives or carers of patients
This can include: practical information, individual support and counselling from trained volunteers and support networks such as Friendship Groups. Most hospices also hold annual memorial services for those who are bereaved, enabling them to come together to remember their loved ones
Contact Help the Hospices HERE
