Patient & Family Care Appeal
My name is Elaine Gray, I am the Outpatient and Community Team Manager here at St Andrew’s Hospice.
I have worked in healthcare for over 25 years. I have had the honour and privilege of working at the Hospice for the last two years and feel completely inspired by our patients every day. To work in a Hospice setting, one of the most important skills is listening to our patients and their families and ensuring they are supported physically, socially and emotionally.
My team’s job is to support and enhance our patients’ physical health and emotional wellbeing, helping them to set personal goals, all with the aim of improving their quality of life and supporting them to live with their condition.
Our Outpatient services include a Wellbeing Programme, a Wellness Together group, Music Therapy, Complementary Therapies, Fatigue Management, Strength & Balance and Adapted Tai Chi classes as well as our Carers’ Café for patients’ loved ones.
The benefit of these services to our patients and their families can be transformational. As well as learning ways to manage their condition, friendships are made and a support network is built. Everyone enjoys each other’s company over some food, games, music and even dancing!
I see such a difference from when patients and carers arrive into the department to when they leave. Their mood has improved and they feel less isolated and lonely.
You may have seen in the press recently that hospices across Scotland are seeing their funding being depleted. St Andrew’s Hospice continues to face financial challenges. I wish I could say that we could get by without asking you for help but that, sadly, is not the reality.
To simply keep our care and support going for people like Mildred and Harvie, we must call on you, our incredible community, and ask you to please consider supporting us today.
Any gift from you would make a huge difference to someone living with a life-limiting illness and their loved ones in Lanarkshire.
Thank you.
With warmest wishes,
Elaine Gray
Outpatients and Community Team Manager