Local Hospice encourages community to sponsor a nurse
Ashgate Hospicecare are pulling out all the stops with its ongoing sponsor a nurse campaign to ensure more nurses are able to provide care in the hospice and reach patients across the county in their own homes.
Elaine Green, Community Specialist Nurse, at Ashgate Hospicecare is passionate about the difference her and her colleagues can make. She says: –
“We visit people at home to ensure they have the medicine and equipment they need to avoid being in any pain or discomfort which could lead to a hospital admission. We all want to be at home when we are poorly and the same is true for our patients. The sad reality is that we can’t always help everyone who needs us because we don’t have enough nurses. A number of our patients are in the last days or weeks of their life so they can’t afford to wait!”
Ashgate Hospicecare community nurses visit 4500 patients in their own homes each year. The support of the local community has significantly helped the hospice to continue offering its services whilst providing symptom and pain management in a variety of settings.
Peggy Drury, a patient at Ashgate Hospicecare describes how important they are. She said:-
“The nursing staff, or ‘Ashgate Angels’ as I call them, are unbelievable. They’re there to help you get better and aren’t just working for the pay cheque at the end of the month. They’re all very friendly and helpful and nothing is too much trouble for them. They went out of their way to make me feel comfortable.”
Amy Bannister, whose granddad was cared for at Ashgate Hospicecare, said:-
“When you look back, it’s blatantly obvious the nurses were looking after the relatives too. They treat the whole patient there, even the personality. They knew granddad liked having a laugh so they’d come in and play along with him. They got to know his character.”
Ashgate Hospicecare nurses want to be there for every person who needs hospice care, whether that’s in the hospice or their own home. You can help fund an Ashgate Hospicecare nurse and sponsor a nurse today by visiting www.ashgatenurses.org.uk for as little as £3 a month.
