Lancaster hospice relaunches vital day therapy services

The day therapy services at St John's Hospice have welcomed back volunteers.

St John’s Hospice has relaunched its Day Therapy Services after a two-and-a-half year closure due to the pandemic.

Day Therapy Services offer support to anybody with a palliative need, whether that’s a patient with a diagnosis such as COPD, motor neurone disease or MS, and to those caring for a loved one with a palliative illness.

The sessions focus on helping patients to improve their quality of life, and can range from support groups for specific illnesses, to creative writing groups, to drop-ins for people known to the hospice.

This area of the St John’s Hospice service offering had to close during the Covid pandemic, and St John’s are happy to reopen now, after working hard to create a safe environment.

Dee Riley, head of Day Therapy Services, said: “I’m so excited that we’re open again! It’s important for patients to have this support and I’m so pleased we can offer it. Having a terminal illness, or caring for someone with a terminal illness can be very lonely - Day Therapy Services can really be a lifeline to patients and their carers.”

One patient, Christopher Hackett, said: “Day Therapy at St John’s has given me a new lease of life. During Covid I didn’t go out much and it was horrible. Day Therapy is so beneficial to me because I can get out of the house, meet people, and do something to help others.”

If you have a life-shortening illness or are caring for someone with a palliative illness, please speak to your healthcare professional to find out how St John’s can help.