What are therapy services?
Different therapies work in different ways and offer a variety of ways to help ease symptoms and provide an increased sense of well being. The aim of our therapy services, as with all our clinical services, is to improve quality of life and promote independence wherever possible.
Our therapy services work across in-patient, day patient, and the community providing help, advice and treatment for patients with a life threatening illness.
Who will I meet in therapy services?
Occupational Therapists (OTs)
Our Occupational Therapists work with you when you attend the day hospice or when you are staying in the in-patient unit. We also work with you, your family and carers in your own home.
We aim to:
- Promote independence and quality of life by helping you to cope with change
- Help you and the people close to you to positively influence the places where you live
- Help you, your families and carers manage the changes in lifestyle resulting from illness
- Help you to plan how you will cope with future changes
We help you with the activities of daily life, we can assess and advise on techniques/ equipment which can assist you and your family to manage well in your own home. This may include a home visit where we can identify and assess any difficulties and give you practical advice to help to solve problems. We can also liaise with Social Services and discuss provision of adaptations around the house to help you manage.
We can help you to find ways to manage fatigue, weakness and breathlessness and other common symptoms of life limiting illnesses.
We can help you, your families and carers to better manage the stress and anxiety that you may be facing.
We work closely with other staff in the Hospice and provide opportunities for you to:
- Relax
- Learn new skills
- Set goals and work with you so that you can watch your efforts come to fruition
- Meet others facing similar challenges and help to support one another
- Have fun!
- Work with you to help you return home
The Physiotherapy Team
We have two specialist palliative care physiotherapists who look after you in the day hospice, in-patient unit, and in your own home. The aim of physiotherapy in palliative care is to improve your quality of life and promote your independence. We help you with the common problems that you may experience, such as breathlessness, fatigue, pain, weakness and reduced mobility, and we do this through:
- Breathlessness management
- Rehabilitation
- Provision of walking aids
- Pain control techniques
- Your own exercise programme
We adopt a holistic approach to your treatment which allows us to anticipate potential difficulties and plan for them in advance.