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About the Hospice
When you say the word 'hospice', people often think of a dark and gloomy place, where sunshine and
laughter rarely visit. That misconception is enough to put people off wanting to go into one,
even if it is the only place that can provide them with the right care.
So you might be surprised to know that the ten-bed In-patient Unit at Weston Hospicecare has
played host to two weddings, has arranged webcam link-ups for family parties, and has welcomed
parrots, dogs and other pets come to visit their owners.
In addition to that a family of ducks has made a home in the garden outside and staff have even
arranged for one patient to get to a darts championship in the Midlands, to fulfil her last wish.
In-patient Unit Team Leader Liz Turner says "Everyday life here is a long way from the idea of a
depressing place where you come to die."
"The husband of one of our patients used to bring her dog to visit, and the dog curled up on a
blanket and slept quite happily in the corner of her room during the day, returning home at night.
"On another occasion, we had a young patient who was unable to attend a family celebration because
she was in the In-patient Unit. "So the hospice's IT department set up a computer and a web cam
in her room so she could see and talk to people at the event and attend "virtually", which was
really important to her.
"Patients are sometimes frightened of the In-patient Unit, and see it as somewhere they go to die,
but once they have been here a few hours, they realise it's a happy place, and some of them don't
even want to go home.
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