Who can access Therapy Services?
Our Therapy Services are for adults over the age of 18 who are living with a terminal or life-limiting illness in the local community. Our palliative, rehabilitative approach aims to enable you to live your life as well as possible. We aim to help individuals; as well as your families, friends, and carers; to cope with changes associated with living with a life-limiting condition.
How can Therapy Services help?
With a focus on supporting your emotional wellbeing, as well as your physical wellness, our multidisciplinary team are here to help you live life to your fullest potential. To help achieve this we provide Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy within our Inpatient Unit and via our new Living Well Programme and Therapy led groups as part of the St Clare Wellbeing Hub based at our main site.
We can provide expert Therapy support in the management of breathlessness for people at home who are unable to attend the Breathlessness group.
Our Therapy team also provide advice and support to our Therapy colleagues based in the community and in local hospitals such as Princess Alexandra NHS Trust.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy is about enabling people to achieve their personal goals and aspirations by supporting their emotional, physical and social wellbeing. Maintaining independence and living well is so valuable when faced with a life-limiting illness. This is because previously simple activities like cooking a meal, managing a garden, or having a shower can become difficult. Our Occupational Therapists will work with individuals, their families, and their carers. Together, we identify the life roles (“occupations”) that are meaningful to you. We then look to introduce skills and strategies to manage changing abilities.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapists help people affected by illness, injury or disability through: movement and exercise; manual therapy; and education and advice. Physiotherapy is about maximising your potential and independence. We aim to enable you to remain as independent as possible, for as long as possible; helping you to live well, and with dignity. After an assessment, our Physiotherapists will address any physical difficulties that you may be experiencing as a result of your life-limiting illness. We will work with you to identify personal goals and create a treatment plan to help you to achieve them. Examples of some physical difficulties that you may experience, which impact your day-to-day life, could include reduced mobility, muscle weakness, breathing difficulties, and pain. The individualised treatment plan we create with you may include: education and advice, received either individually or as part of a group; a home exercise programme; provision of mobility aids; provision of orthotics; or the use of TENS machines and acupuncture for non-pharmacological management of pain.
Therapy Services and our Inpatient Unit (IPU)
Our Therapy team support patients on our IPU to develop self-care strategies and to set appropriate goals to help them live to their full potential.
Our Therapy team can also support discharge home from the IPU by completing home assessments together with the timely coordination of equipment to promote safety and dignity.
The Therapy team can also provide a further home assessment within a week of discharge from our IPU to avoid any inappropriate admission to hospital.
Therapy Services and our Wellbeing Hub
Our Therapy Services team also lead supportive clinics and groups within our Wellbeing Hub.
Wellbeing Hub Groups
Living Well Programme: A six-week programme dedicated to helping you live well. Taking place for one full day each week, for six weeks, attendees will receive complementary sessions in small groups. These range from symptom management, and support with your physical health, to sessions such as ‘Preparing for your next consultation’ and ‘Planning for your future’.
Breathlessness Group: By attending St Clare’s Breathlessness Group, you can learn how to manage the breathlessness you are experiencing as a result of your illness. Managing breathlessness can help to improve your mobility and function, enabling you to do more and live well – with less anxiety and more confidence.
Fatigue Management Group: Our Fatigue Management Group can help you manage this common symptom caused by COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, cancer, heart failure and neurological conditions. Learn the tools and techniques to manage your fatigue, understand how it affects your daily life, and help you to live well.
For more information about our Wellbeing Hub Groups, please click here.
Wellbeing Hub Clinics
Holistic Needs Assessment: An in-depth assessment carried out with a healthcare professional that will allow us to advise you on St Clare’s Hospice internal services, and external services offered by our specialist partnerships, which you may benefit from. For more information about our Wellbeing Hub Clinics, please click here.
Online Therapy and Exercise Class web-based resources:
Currently, we offer supportive videos around Relaxation & Mindfulness, Physiotherapy, Light Cardio Exercises and Breathlessness. You can access these videos from your own home, at a time you choose, and at your own pace. Please click here to visit our Online Classes & Exercises web page.
Therapy Services Home Support
We can also provide expert Therapy support in the management of breathlessness for people at home with life limiting illness who are unable to attend the Breathlessness group. Any offer of this home support would follow an assessment by our Therapy Team.
Get in touch
If you have any questions or suggestions, please get in touch with the Therapy Team. Call us on 01279 773711 Email us on nee.fcs@nhs.net.