The relationship between patient and Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is vital to ensuring Birmingham Hospice can provide high quality care to those living in the community with a terminal condition.
Determined 90-year-old Jean Skidmore has been regularly visited by Community Palliative Care Team (CPCT) member Alison Freeman for the last three years and the pair have bonded over their shared passion for pets.
She was referred to the hospice for palliative care after suffering heart failure in 2022 and is one of hundreds of people living across Birmingham, Sandwell, Solihull and Sutton Coldfield who are supported in their own home by our Community Team.
As part of her role, Alison provides vital help with symptom management, liaises with colleagues from other health agencies, discusses Advanced Care Planning (ACP) at the end of life, and provides psychological and emotional support.
But the most important thing for Jean is the connection they have forged, and she looks forward to their visit each week.
“If I was to describe Alison in one word it would be friend,” said Jean.
“I really enjoy when she visits because we talk about all and everything. It’s so reassuring to know that someone as caring as Alison is coming to see me.”
Strong-minded and self-sufficient, the retired prison officer lives independently with the help of her loving nieces, even after being fitted with a pacemaker in 2007 and having open heart surgery in 2012.
Following her referral to the hospice, Jean didn’t know what to expect but her worries quickly disappeared when she began attending the Living Well Centre (LWC).
“I knew about the hospice, but I didn’t realise it was for people like me,” she commented.
Once she finished her sessions, Alison started to support her at home and quickly won her over by sharing pictures and videos of her pet dog with Jean, who is the proud owner of three cats.
During her time under our care, she has also been helped by our Hospice at Home Team when she needed it.
“I know Alison’s there for me – whatever I want to talk about, she can talk with me about it,” she said.
Most importantly, their talks have reassured Jean that her family will receive the help they need at the end of her life.
She said: “I would say to people who are unsure about the hospice to give it a try. I am happy to know that my nieces will have support when I am at the end of my life.”
