Day Hospice
The Day Hospice aims to help patients to promote their quality of life while continuing to live at home, and can help families by offering a break from caring duties. The staff and volunteers offer supportive care in friendly and relaxed surroundings.
Transport to and from the Hospice is free, and many patients enjoy meeting new people and taking part in activities, as well as the home cooked lunch. Special dietary requirements will also be catered for by the catering team.
St Cuthbert’s Day Hospice is currently open four days per week, and provides care for up to fifteen patients per session. Patients initially attend Day Hospice for eight weeks, and their needs are re-assessed after this period.
The Day Hospice is staffed by qualified nurses, who along with other Hospice staff offer a range of services, including:
- Symptom control advice
- Emotional support
- Psychological support and counselling
- Outpatient appointments such as blood transfusions
- Lymphoedema Clinic
- Physiotherapy
- Occupational therapy
- Gardening activities
- Art therapy
- Complementary therapies
- Spiritual support
- Creative writing and access to computers
- Welfare rights advice
- Manicure and beauty treatments
- Relaxation
For more information on our Day Hospice services, please click here.
Muriel Borradaile has been coming to the Day Hospice every week for the last two years, after becoming ill. She said, “Coming here is a boost to my morale, it breaks up the week and it’s something to look forward to. I get picked up and dropped off at home, and I like the coffee and scones we get when we arrive, and the meals are delicious.”
Muriel, from Chester le Street describes coming to the Hospice as like having a day out with friends. “There’s a very happy atmosphere, which might surprise people. People don’t dwell on their illnesses, they talk and laugh a lot. We all look forward to seeing each other on a Wednesday”.
Muriel’s visits to the Hospice also mean that her husband John can have a break from caring, knowing that she is being looked after in a place where she feels comfortable. She said “It’s a peaceful, tranquil place, not far from the main road but you can see squirrels in the garden sometimes. It’s just what you need for a Hospice”.