Our Wellbeing Programme is free if you live in east Kent and you have been diagnosed with an incurable illness. It aims to enhance your wellbeing – in mind and body.

Services are also available for carers – be they friends or family – to support them with self-care, too.

If you talk to us sooner, we can do so much more.

Pilgrims Therapy Centres are an important part of the care and support we provide to our patients and their families. Our new Wellbeing Menu offers a range of therapeutic, creative, social and educational groups and activities designed to support you to live well, in both mind and body, for as long as possible.

Our experienced team will work closely with you, and those who are important to you, to help you identify which programmes can help you now and in the future. We will also work alongside your GP and other professionals involved in your care.

Pilgrims' Wellbeing Menu

Our Wellbeing Menu offers flexibility to allow you access to the right support at the time you need it most. This may be a therapeutic programme to help you manage your symptoms, a creative activity programme to enhance your wellbeing, a social group giving you the chance to connect with other people and share experiences, or one of our educational programmes to help you in planning and preparing for your future care and treatment.

Our appetisers are relaxed and informal group sessions designed to introduce patients and their carers to the benefits of Pilgrims' wellbeing services.

Wellbeing Café

An informal drop in session where you can come along and learn more about Pilgrims services, meet our Wellbeing Practitioner team, and identify which of our wellbeing programmes can support you and your family. We can also help identify other groups and services in your community that can offer support.

Who is it for?

Patients and a plus one.

Planning for your future

This light touch educational session encourages you and those you are close to, to think about your wishes and preferences for future care and treatment. As a first step toward formal advance care planning, this session explores topics such as advance statements, lasting power of attorney, advanced decisions and DNACPR forms, providing you with information to make informed choices about future care and treatment.

Who is it for?

Patients and a plus one.

Our main courses are programmes designed to teach patients and their carers different therapeutic strategies and techniques to help manage common symptoms that the patient may be experiencing.

Breathlessness Management

If you find you're struggling with shortness of breath and this is affecting your quality of life, this workshop is for you. It is a two-hour workshop teaching medication-free methods of breathlessness management, followed by a 1-1 call to help form an individual plan for you to manage your breathlessness.

Who is it for?

Patients and a plus one.

Living with Fatigue

If you're experiencing tiredness that is affecting your concentration and ability to take part in every day activities, this three session programme can help you understand symptoms of fatigue and introduce a range of strategies to help you feel more in control and improve your quality of life.

Who is it for?

Patients and a plus one.

When you're living with a life limiting illness, there may be times when you feel worried, anxious or frustrated as things begin to change for you. It can often be helpful to share your experiences with others who are in a similar situation.

Our sharing platters are designed to bring people together in a relaxed and informal group.

Living Well

This patient support group offers a programme of social, creative and educational activities for you to enjoy with others who also have life limiting conditions. Our Wellbeing Practitioners will work with you to identify your individual goals and, alongside the wider team, support you to achieve them so that you can live as well as possible in mind and body.

Who is it for?

Patients only.

Time to Create

This relaxing but stimulating group gives patients and their families an opportunity to develop new skills and rediscover long-forgotten ones. Create art and crafts that reflect your unique interests and experiences that can be given as a lasting memory.

Suitable for people of all abilities, no previous experience necessary as our Wellbeing Practitioners are experts at helping you discover your inner artist!

Who is it for?

Patients and a plus one.

 At Pilgrims, we recognise the special role friends and family play in supporting our patients. Whilst caring for someone with a deteriorating health condition can be a positive and rewarding experience, there are also lots of reasons why caring can leave you needing extra support for yourself.

Carers Café

This informal drop-in support group offers the opportunity to meet others who are also caring for a relative or friend with a life limiting illness, to share experiences of caring and develop peer support networks.

Who is it for?

Carers of Pilgrims' patients.

Carers Walk and Talk

Walking in nature can be transformative; improving psychological wellbeing, enhancing mood and self esteem and reducing the emotional and physical effects of stress.

This relaxed and easy paced group meets in three spots across east Kent. Carers can connect, share and learn from others who are going through similar experiences, helping to ease feelings of loneliness and isolation

Who is it for?

Carers of Pilgrims' patients.

At Pilgrims, complementary therapies are a valuable part of the holistic care offered to patients and their loved ones, helping to promote relaxation and wellbeing, improve self confidence and ease anxiety, pain and spiritual distress.

We offer a wide range of individual therapies and treatments, such as aromatherapy, reflexology, reiki and hand and foot massage.

Complementary therapy is also offered as part of:

  • Living Well
  • Wellbeing Café
  • Carers Café

We also offer a variety of additional wellbeing groups and activities throughout the year, please check back regularly as we update you with events happening at your local hospice site.

For more information about Pilgrims Therapy Centres Wellbeing Menu, please email wellbeing@pilgrimshospices.org or call 01233 504 127, to talk to a member of our care team.

To get a referral

The first step is to talk to your GP or Healthcare Professional about whether you would benefit from a referral to Pilgrims Therapy Centres Wellbeing Programme.

Contact us

You can email our team with any questions at wellbeing.enquiries@pilgrimshospices.org or call the Pilgrims Hospices Advice Line on 01233 504 133.