AS Hospice Care Week shines a light on the work of hospices across the UK, Dr Kershaw’s Hospice in Oldham is taking the opportunity to challenge long-held misconceptions about what hospice care really means.
While many still associate hospices solely with end-of-life care, Dr Kershaw’s says its work extends far beyond that – supporting people with a wide range of life-limiting illnesses and helping families cope at home.
With Oldham’s over-65 population expected to rise by 30 per cent over the next 20 years, according to the council’s 2024 Productivity Plan, demand for community-based care is only set to grow.
Dr Kershaw’s – based in Royton – says it’s already adapting to meet that challenge through services like Caring Hands, a team of trained healthcare assistants who visit patients at home between 7am and 10pm offering personal care, help with medication, emotional support and more.
Christine Wilson, care coordinator for Caring Hands, said: “One of the myths about hospices is that we only provide end-of-life care or treat people with cancer. At Dr Kershaw’s, we care for people with a wide range of life-limiting illnesses.
“We work alongside families to deliver high-quality, compassionate care for people living with everything from heart failure to lung diseases and cystic fibrosis. Each person is treated as an individual, with a tailored care plan.”
One person who has seen the impact of that support first-hand is Melvyn Dronsfield, 80, who accessed the Caring Hands service earlier this year following emergency bowel cancer surgery.
His daughter, Angela Dronsfield, said the service was a lifeline for the whole family.
“Caring Hands alleviated so much pressure,” she explained. “The staff were amazing – so caring, knowledgeable and supportive. They went the extra mile, giving him foot massages and making him feel like everything was okay.
“I would definitely recommend the service – it made everything so simple and less stressful. Caring Hands gave dad the time to adapt, and us, as family, time to come to terms with how to care for him. Without that care, we don’t think he’d be here today.”
The theme of this year’s Hospice UK campaign is ‘hospice care is more than you think’.
More information about Dr Kershaw’s Caring Hands service can be found at www.drkh.org.uk/caringhands
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