“Human spirituality is complex” – Spiritual Care Awareness Month 2022
Ken Cox was formerly the Spiritual Care Lead at Pilgrims Hospices; he was based at the Thanet hospice.
Whilst still in post, he shared what he enjoyed about his role, what spirituality means to him and how spiritual care makes an integral contribution to the holistic nature of hospice care.
What does your role involve and how did you come to it?
In my role at Pilgrims, I am called upon to give spiritual care and advice to anyone who needs it; patients, carers and staff are all included within my remit.
During training to become an ordained Church of England priest, we are required to undertake a pastoral placement. As I had no experience of hospice work, I thought it might be good to expand my knowledge and I managed to get a placement at the Canterbury hospice.
From then on, I felt a call that working in a hospice environment would be the area for me to continue in after my curacy was completed. I initially came to the hospice as a volunteer and was appointed to my current role as Spiritual Care Lead at our Thanet hospice in 2016.
I get a high level of satisfaction in helping people through emotionally hard times. I enjoy the interaction between myself and those I meet. Most of my working career has involved working as a team, so I am comfortable with and enjoy working with the other disciplines on the hospice multi-disciplinary team.
What does spirituality mean to you?
Human spirituality is a complex and difficult thing to nail down. The textbooks define it as relationships, values and life purpose. The main thing I concentrate on is relationships between myself and the people I come into contact with; the rest follows on. A basic relationship can grow into one where I can help the person come to terms with what is happening.
My views on spirituality have been informed by study and reading of various books during ordination training. The academic reading is backed up by experience of being at the frontline of peoples’ emotions and raw feelings at a difficult time in their lives. It was a distinct advantage to have been a volunteer for a few months before taking up the role as a paid job.
What role does spiritual care play in hospice care and why is it important?
From my point of view, spiritual care can play a vital part in a patient’s or carer’s pathway whilst being cared for by Pilgrims. It involves being alongside people, lending a listening ear at their darkest time and being a shoulder to lean on, to help smooth things that are getting a bit bumpy.
An integral part of working at Pilgrims is not to be judgemental. Some people suffer from guilt due to past actions as they come to the end of their life, and wish to atone or at least talk about this, which enables them to move forward.
Spiritual distress can happen at any time during a person’s association with the hospice. This is an area where the Spiritual Care Lead can help immensely, talking through what is causing the distress, not offering any solutions but allowing the person to work through things and clear their minds. Often, it is physical and sometimes emotional pain that can be sorted out. We also work with people who have changed their belief system, either losing faith or discovering a dormant belief that comes to the fore. Quite often, people find it difficult to adjust to their new way of thinking, but spiritual care can help with this.
A spiritual care lead is an integral part of Pilgrims’ multi-disciplinary team, which meets daily to discuss patients. At times, the spiritual care lead can have information that helps clinical staff gain an alternative insight into what a patient is feeling. As part of the team, we can be asked to follow up and provide another eye on the subject from a different perspective, which can be of great help.
Pilgrims Hospices celebrated Spiritual Care Awareness Month throughout January 2022, showcasing the many ways that spiritual care can make a positive difference to patients, their families, carers and loved ones.
There’s much more to death than we think; what if it isn’t just an ending, but an event we can plan for? Thinking beyond the four walls of hospices and hospitals, we have the chance to approach it with confidence and plan a good death. After Wards is a collection of insights and ideas from people who can help us all to re-imagine this essential part of life, and to live well until we die.
26th October 2021
Julie puts her best foot forward for Pilgrims every day
Occupational Therapy is an essential component of the care and services provided by Pilgrims Hospices. Julie Cox is an Occupational Therapist based in the Thanet hospice, with a career in social services spanning over two decades, she’s dedicated her skills to the hospices for the past six years.
Her role as a Palliative Specialist Occupational Therapist has supported hundreds of patients with their personalised practical, psychological and emotional needs of people approaching end of life.
Julie said: “My role at Pilgrims is always interesting; I support patients on the ward and out in the community. Applying my skills to meet each individual’s needs can be really rewarding. Whether it is providing the correct piece of equipment to allow someone to get home or improve their independence, encouraging patients to continue to do the things that are important to them or, to give them support to manage symptoms, it’s a unique place of work.”
Julie with some of her medals
She added: “It’s been a difficult and challenging 18 months for the team at Pilgrims Hospices. For my own wellbeing, I love to be outside and I have enjoyed taking on some interesting fundraising challenges this year. It’s been fun, keeping me fit and also helped with fundraising for Pilgrims.”
Julie took part in the Canterbury Half Marathon in August, she explained: “The runners pass close to where I live in Canterbury, and I’ve been cheering them along for around 20 years now! I was never a runner up until around 10 years ago when I thought I would give it a go. I’m pleased I did the Canterbury Half, it was a challenge but so rewarding to have completed it.”
Julie has just completed the virtual London Marathon. Along with her running, Julie has taken on the Pilgrims Cycle Challenge over the years. Doing the 55k Pilgrims Way Challenge walk was the hardest one of all and there was a real sense of achievement arriving at Dover Castle after a long day walking.
Well done Julie for being a superstar fundraiser and one of our extremely valued hospice team.
Pilgrims palliative specialist occupational therapy offers personalised support for social, practical and emotional needs of people approaching end of life.
It enables people and their families to live independently and maintain meaningful occupations in accordance with their preferences for as long as they are able.
Occupational Therapy aims to bring purpose and meaning to a person’s life by promoting independence, choice, dignity and quality of life. Occupational Therapists work with patients and those important to them, together with the multidisciplinary team, to identify priorities and goals. Pilgrims Hospices’ Occupational Therapists work with people in the hospice, in their own homes or via the virtual Therapy Centre.
If you are interested in working for Pilgrims Hospices, click here for more information on available opportunities: pilgrimshospices.org/jobs
Pilgrims Hospices cares for more than 2,500 local people each year, free of charge, during the most challenging time in their lives. They offer care and support in people’s own homes, in the community and in their inpatient units as well as running a 24-hour advice line.
12th October 2021
Hospice nurse retires after almost 50 years of caring service
Sue Clark from Canterbury has enjoyed a long career in nursing; starting out as a children’s nurse, she then moved to caring for elderly patients. Finally, Sue spent the last 15 years of her career at Pilgrims Hospices, supporting adults approaching the end of life.
Now, aged 65, she is looking forward to retirement with a sense of gratitude and appreciation that has come from working with hospice patients.
Originally from Bracknell, Berkshire, at 16 years old Sue became a nursing cadet. She trained in orthopaedic and general nursing at Queen Mary’s Hospital for Children, qualifying in 1978.
Sue moved to east Kent with her best friend from nursing school, whose father managed the local cottage hospitals and got Sue a job at Herne Hospital. She also worked at Nunnery Fields Hospital in Canterbury, and further afield in south-east London, before moving to Kent and Canterbury Hospital in the 1990s.
She said: “I initially wanted to be an air stewardess! But I really loved caring for people and became interested in children’s nursing. It’s funny – I started out working with children and ended up at the other side of life.”
At Pilgrims, we care for the patient and the whole family. It’s not like in hospital; we can get involved, we have the time to get to know families.
Sue
In between, Sue did some community nursing work with Marie Curie, supporting patients with terminal illnesses. This was her first experience of working in palliative care, and in 2006 she joined Pilgrims as a Registered General Nurse (RGN).
In 2019, she gave up her registration and spent her last two years of service working as a Healthcare Assistant (HCA).
Sue continued: “At Pilgrims, we care for the patient and the whole family. It’s not like in hospital; we can get involved, we have the time to get to know families. We’re also able to provide aftercare for loved ones, too.
“I love being hands on with basic nursing care, and the HCA role enabled me to do even more of this so I really enjoyed it.”
Working at Pilgrims, you realise that life is so short. I just want to enjoy retirement with my husband and make the most of every moment.
Sue
Kate White, Head of Nursing at Pilgrims, said: “To dedicate 50 years to nursing is a huge achievement and shows strength of character. I cannot imagine how many patients and their families have been cared for by Sue in all this time!
“We wish her all the very best for a well-deserved retirement and thank her for her commitment to Pilgrims.”
Now that she has retired, Sue is looking forward to catching up with friends, spending time with family and planning a few mini-breaks.
She added: “Working at Pilgrims, you realise that life is so short. I just want to enjoy retirement with my husband and make the most of every moment.”
Each year Pilgrims Hospices give care and comfort to over 2,500 people in east Kent coming to terms with an illness that sadly cannot be cured. The charity supports patients to live life as well as possible until the very end, free from pain and distress. Care is provided from three hospice sites in Thanet, Canterbury and Ashford as well as in patients’ own homes. To offer these services to patients and their families the charity must raise £11 million each year from the generous local community.
8th October 2021
Leave no one behind: Equity in access to palliative care on World Hospice and Palliative Care Day
On Saturday 9 October, Pilgrims Hospices will celebrate palliative care, showing how vital it is, and why we must make sure everyone has access, no matter where they live, who they love, what their age or their background.
Pilgrims Hospices is taking the opportunity to recognise and celebrate the care we provide to the people of east Kent. It’s a chance to demonstrate the value of support, care and share what matters to us as individuals at the end of our lives.
Sophie Van Walwyk, Head of Psychosocial and Wellbeing Services
The pandemic has had a huge impact on the hospice and end of life sector. We’ve had to adapt, and have been working continuously to create new, innovative services to keep patients safe and connected, both at home and in our inpatient units. From setting up virtual exercise classes to bereavement counselling and therapy sessions online, we have gone above and beyond to reach out to patients and families with care they so desperately need.
Sophie Van Walwyk, Pilgrims Head of Psychosocial and Wellbeing Services said:
“Hospice care isn’t just about caring for people in the last few days of their life.
“Adjusting to and living with a life limiting condition, or caring for someone who is, can have a huge impact, and it is so important to recognise and support an individual’s whole wellbeing and not just their physical health.”
Pilgrims Therapy Centre Wellbeing services are an integral part of the specialist care and support provided to patients and families.
Pilgrims Wellbeing groups and programmes are all designed to enable patients and carers to live well in both mind and body for as long as possible.
A dedicated team of nurses and carers, along with a broad range of therapists and support staff, provide the very best way to:
Support people to cope with the practical and emotional challenges they are facing when living with a life limiting condition, or caring for someone who is
Help people to understand their condition, to prepare and plan for their future
Inform people of the help and support that is available to them and ensure they are receiving all their entitlements
Give people opportunities to learn from each other through shared experiences and gain peer support from others in similar situations
Teach people strategies to manage and cope with common symptoms and to improve their wellbeing through physical activities and relaxation methods
Encourage people to engage in new activities and learn new skills to promote a greater sense of wellbeing
Link people with other groups and services in their local community that can also support their wellbeing
Do you want to learn more about Pilgrims Hospices care?
Are you someone who needs our support, do you need to speak to a member of our team for advice?
Would you like to learn more about working or volunteering for Pilgrims Hospices? There are many rewarding opportunities to consider, it will surprise you.
Visit pilgrimshospices.org or call our helpline on 01233 504 133, and the team will signpost you to the correct departments for more information.
Each year Pilgrims Hospices give care and comfort to over 2,500 people in east Kent who are coming to terms with an illness that sadly cannot be cured. The charity support patients to live life as well as possible until the very end, free from pain and distress.
1st October 2021
Pilgrims Hospices celebrate Hospice Care Week 2021
Hospice Care Week (4 – 8 October 2021), is all about raising our voices to show how important hospice and end of life care is for people; it’s an opportunity to recognise and celebrate hospices and the care they provide.
It’s a chance to demonstrate the value of support, care and what matters to us as individuals at the end of our lives. After an incredibly difficult 18 months, Pilgrims would like to take Hospice Care Week as an opportunity to celebrate and thank everyone for working so hard to ensure vital services can continue, no matter who you are.
Therapy Centres re-open and new Walk and Talk group for carers launches
After the long period of delivering services virtually, Pilgrims Hospices therapy team welcome patients and carers back to the Therapy Centres as services re-open.
Chris Jones, Wellbeing Practitioner Team Leader
Chris Jones, Pilgrims Wellbeing Practitioner Team Leader said: “It will take some time to re-engage with our service users face to face, and make the necessary arrangements to get groups together and safely back to the hospice Therapy Centres, where we can once again provide the wellbeing sessions that we’ve missed during the COVID-19 lockdown.
“We are delighted to say we are already running a new Walk and Talk group for carers.”
The carers walking group is an informal, easy paced walking group, taking place in the relaxed and beautiful environment of Pegwell Country Park Nature Reserve, offering an opportunity for people to connect, share, re-energise and learn from others who have similar experiences to their own. The walks are supported by Wellbeing Practitioners and trained volunteers.
Chris added: “We welcome Pilgrims carers from across east Kent to join us at the Pegwell Country Park walks.”
The Therapy team have identified two additional walking routes – Canterbury, Toddlers Cove and along the Stour and Ashford, Conningbrook Lakes Country Park.
These new Walk and Talk groups will start in October 2021.
“We share stories and talk about what we’re going through”
Freda Thomas from Minster told us: “The Walk and Talk group is fabulous, I look forward to Wednesdays when I can join with like-minded people; we share stories and talk about what we’re going through, it feels so good to talk about it. Being out in the fresh air is so uplifting, Chris and Kath from the hospice Wellbeing team are lovely and have lots of useful advice.
“Our group finish the walk with a coffee stop and always feel refreshed, and ready to take on the rest of the week.
“I’ve made new friends, and Judy and myself have become particularly good friends and now go swimming together on Tuesdays which also helps with my wellbeing.
Freda and Judy
“My husband had used Pilgrims services for exercise and breathing classes and more recently the Hospice at Home nurse comes to support him. On one of her visits she explained the benefits of the Walk and Talk group, and put my details forward to the Wellbeing team. It’s definitely helping to make a difference.”
I look forward to Wednesdays when I can join with like-minded people; we share stories and talk about what we’re going through, it feels so good to talk about it.
Freda
Walking with others builds connections, helps ease feelings of loneliness and isolation and research has shown that walking with others reduces anxiety and helps build resilience. Walking in nature can improve wellbeing, mood and self-esteem whilst reducing depression and stress.
Benefits of walking and talking
“Therefore, the aim of the carers’ walking group is primarily to improve health and wellbeing and give them some time out of their caring role. It provides an opportunity for carers to meet, keep fit and make new friends and also enables us to listen to their experiences and offer support in a relaxed and informal setting.” Chris explained.
The group is proving extremely popular and Pilgrims hope to extend the programme to those using their Stepping Stones bereavement services, who may find some additional therapy benefits.
Find out more about Pilgrims wellbeing programmes
Pilgrims wellbeing groups and programmes are all designed to enable patients and carers to live well in both mind and body for as long as possible.
We support people to cope with the practical and emotional challenges they are facing when living with a life limiting condition, along with those who are caring for them.
Get in touch to find out more about Pilgrims Hospices wellbeing services and how to access our therapy sessions:
As we re-introduce our Wellbeing sessions for patients and carers, we welcome back the amazing support of our volunteer workforce in order to make this happen in a seamless fashion.
We’re always interested to hear from people who would like to offer their skills as a volunteer.
There are many interesting and rewarding opportunities to volunteer within Pilgrims Therapy Centres and we welcome volunteers who have a range of skills and experience to support the Wellbeing team.
Some ways that you can volunteer are:
Meet, greet and befriend patients and carers attending Therapy Centres
Support Wellbeing Practitioners to facilitate wellbeing groups and programmes
Help design and deliver creative, relaxing, social and fun activities for patients and carers
Provide wellbeing support calls to patients and carers who are isolated and unable to come to the hospice
Become a Walk and Talk group leader
Provide admin support to the Wellbeing team
If you’d like to find out more or to express an interest in volunteering, please contact Pilgrims’ HR team on01227 812 612.
Each year Pilgrims Hospices give care and comfort to over 2,500 people in east Kent who are coming to terms with an illness that sadly cannot be cured. The charity support patients to live life as well as possible until the very end, free from pain and distress.
22nd September 2021
Pilgrims Nurse takes on monster marathon
Pilgrims nurse Amy Stevens with her partner Heather will be taking on the Loch Ness Marathon next month, and fundraising for Pilgrims’ hospice care.
Along with hundreds of others, they will be taking on Scottish weather along with the gruelling Nessie challenge on Sunday 3 October 2021.
Amy told us: “My partner Heather and I both wanted to run our first official marathon together, and so we researched marathons in the UK. The Loch Ness Marathon appealed to us as it was in a beautiful location, we both had always wanted to visit Scotland and we were excited at the chance to see Nessie! We went to Scotland last year for the Loch Ness Marathon, but it was cancelled due to COVID, so we’re going back this year!”
Amy has been a qualified nurse for two years now, so still quite new to the role! She told us: “I began my nursing career as a community nurse before becoming a hospice nurse. About 10 years ago, my nan became ill with cancer and spent her last couple of weeks in Pilgrims Hospice Thanet. After seeing the care the nurses gave her, it made me want to become a nurse and I think I knew then I’d want to specialise in palliative care nursing.
“I’ve been nursing at Pilgrims Hospice Thanet for five months. As a student nurse I had a placement there which I enjoyed, and found a passion for palliative care, so I knew I wanted to go back to working there!”
“I am extremely proud of being a Pilgrims nurse, I am passionate about palliative nursing and to work alongside like minded people is such a privilege.
Amy
Amy (32) from Ashford, is a regular runner and said: “I did a lot of running when at school and then got back into running four years ago. I have improved on speed and distance over the years and I’m now focusing on ultra-running.
Amy and Heather
“During lockdown when all races were stopped, I trained myself and completed marathon distances in the countryside between Canterbury and Wye and along the coast from Whitstable to Pegwell. The Loch Ness Marathon will be my first official marathon.
“Heather is my partner, my best friend and my running buddy! We are really excited about taking on this challenge. The training is going well, we are both motivated people, so when we are not working, we enjoy going running together or for a solo run.
“On our runs, our favourite energy snacks are Skittles and for our longer runs, I like a peanut butter and banana wrap and Heather likes a cashew nut butter wrap. We are great at motivating each other.”
When asked if she had a finishing time in mind? Amy said: “Nope, we just want to enjoy the distance and the atmosphere.”
If you would like to support Amy and Heather’s fundraising for Pilgrims Hospices, pleasevisit their JustGiving page.
After the marathon the girls have two weeks in Scotland to relax, explore the highlands, eat and drink at new places and soak in the culture.
Finally Amy said: “I am extremely proud of being a Pilgrims nurse, I am passionate about palliative nursing and to work alongside like minded people is such a privilege. It is a wonderful multi-disciplinary team at Thanet; everyone is fantastic at what they do, and it makes such a difference to patient care when we all work together, to give the best patient centred care possible.
“Most of my career as a nurse has been spent working through COVID. It has been tough and stressful at times, but I think this has helped me to become the best nurse I possibly can and help those who need my care. I love being a nurse and couldn’t imagine doing any other career now.”
For more information about a career in nursing at Pilgrims Hospices, please contact Pilgrims’ HR team on 01227 812 612 or email [email protected].
Thank you for sharing your story Amy and good luck to you both next month in the Loch Ness Marathon.
Each year Pilgrims Hospices give care and comfort to over 2,500 people in east Kent who are coming to terms with an illness that sadly cannot be cured. The charity support patients to live life as well as possible until the very end, free from pain and distress.
