End of life care is healthcare, treatment and support for an individual who has a life-limiting or progressive illness or condition that cannot be cured. Services provided by Rowans Hospice begin months and sometimes years before death, when it becomes clear that things are progressing. Our end of life care helps the person to have the best quality of life, ensuring everything possible is done to support family and friends too.
At the Hospice, we are deeply committed to providing high-quality specialist palliative and end-of-life care, ensuring that all dying people, along with their families and loved ones, receive the support they need. We focus on improving the wellbeing and quality of life for patients living with terminal or life-limiting conditions, while offering compassionate, dignified care at the end of life.
Recognising the complexity and sensitivity of the Assisted Dying debate, we respect everyone’s right to their own views, and these views will not affect access to our services. Our ethos, aligned with the World Health Organisation, neither hastens nor postpones death, and we maintain that Assisted Dying is not consistent with the principles of palliative care.
We understand that fear and distress may drive requests for hastening death, and we are dedicated to relieving pain and suffering, while encouraging open conversations about end-of-life wishes. We also believe strongly in the right of every individual to access excellent palliative care across our community, regardless of location or circumstance.
While remaining neutral on changes to Assisted Dying laws, we will continue to raise awareness of the importance of inclusive, appropriately funded Hospice care and challenge misconceptions around Hospice services.
Our mission is to ensure that everyone in our community has access to the full range of services we provide, and that their emotional, spiritual, and social needs are met, with support extended to families both during illness and bereavement.
We offer short stay admissions of assessment, treatment, and care within our hospice in Waterlooville for people experiencing life-limiting and progressive illness, with the aim of maintaining optimal quality of life for as long as this may be possible. Our specialist hospice team, comprising doctors, nurses, and other professionals, such as social workers, physiotherapists, occupational and complementary therapists provide physical, psychological, spiritual, and social care. People receiving end of life treatment and care, including care in dying, will have their own en-suite bedroom with a view of our beautiful gardens and access from the room out into our tranquil surroundings.
Furthermore, we strongly believe that hospice care should be available outside of a dedicated building and therefore our Hospice at Home service provides end of life care in the comfort of your own home. Right up until the end of a person’s life, our care is about helping people live every moment to the full in comfort and dignity and alongside those who are important to them.
Additional services are provided to enhance the quality of life for the people living in Portsmouth and South East Hampshire through Rowans Living Well Services. Here drop-in support, telephone advice and therapeutic activities are offered both on site and on-line for those affected by life-limiting and progressive illness, which includes family members, carers, and friends. The range of therapies is vast, and people can choose what feels right for them. When connectivity with others may be therapeutic, we host dedicated groups – for example, we host a group for veterans and another for gardeners.
From our experience, we acknowledge and appreciate the many difficulties and challenges people affected by life-limiting and progressive illness will be facing and all our staff and skilled volunteers will be receptive and available to listen and support. This includes a dedicated team of Psychological therapists, Counsellors and Family Service Volunteers who specialise in this area of practise, including specialist support for young people and children who are or will soon be bereaved.
Our Spiritual Care Chaplain complements the spiritual support provided by other members of the specialist team, offering support time to talk and to help people explore thoughts, feelings, questions, and doubts.
Advance care planning may be a daunting exercise to consider, however we are here to help. Our experience demonstrates that thinking and detailing what is right for you will help all those around you to plan ahead and do all that is possible to enable you to receive the care and treatment that is right for you. This is especially helpful if you are unable to voice your own wishes and preferences and will be particularly helpful to your own family and friends.
Importantly this can include where you would prefer to die, as knowing this in advance will help everyone prepare and prevent inappropriate and unnecessary hospital admissions.
If you don’t have a Will already, it is advisable to get one written to confirm what you would like to happen to your possessions, money, and property. You can write the Will yourself but to make it legal, you are best advised to get it witnessed and signed. For more information, see the gov website. A dedicated Citizens Advice service is available by appointment through the Rowans Living Well Services, or you could contact a local solicitor.
If you feel you may be unable to make decisions in the future related to your own treatment and care, you can appoint someone who would know your wishes and could then advocate your best interests. This is called a lasting power of attorney. For more information on registering for one, see the gov website. A dedicated Citizens Advice service is also available by appointment through the Rowans Living Well Services, or you could contact a local solicitor.
Palliative care is healthcare, treatment and support for people who have life limiting and progressive illness which cannot be cured. Palliative care can be received at any stage of a person’s illness and can continue for years. Rowans Hospice Strategy references the importance of the last 1000 days of life. End of life care on the other hand is for those in the last year, months, or weeks of their life.
End of life care at Rowans Hospice is ‘holistic’ and includes physical, spiritual, psychological, and emotional interventions, symptom control and support for the person who is dying and all those who are important to them.
No, hospice services can be provided months or even years before a person is nearing the end of their life. Rowans Hospice Strategy references care and support in the last 1000 days of life.
Specialised Hospice at Home and In-patient services involve a professional referral and sometimes a discharge back to appropriate and less specialised services. Your GP and hospital or community nurses understand this process and you can talk to one of our open-access services about our criteria by calling our Living Well Services on 023 9224 8011, or our Palliative Care Hub on 023 9225 0001.
No, we have a Hospice at Home team which will provide rapid response visits to your home, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (in the last two weeks of life). It is also important to stress that hospices work alongside GPs, NHS and social care professionals and other charities who collectively form an integrated care team.
Stating your choice and preference in advance will help you achieve this and enables all those supporting your treatment and care to work towards having your wishes fulfilled as far as this may be possible.
Writing an Advance Care Plan in conjunction with family members, friends and health care professionals will help. So, if this circumstance were to arise, everyone would know exactly how you want to be looked after.
Yes, you can refuse treatment. You should complete an advance decision to receive treatment so that if you feel you may be unable to communicate your wishes in the future, your loved ones and carers know what treatment you wish to refuse. For more information, see the NHS website. A dedicated Citizens Advice service is also available by appointment through the Rowans Living Well Services or you could contact a local solicitor.
Family/carer information
What Information are we collecting?
Any personal data we process is done so in accordance with the UK GDPR.
How long do we keep your information for?
It will be held within the patient care records and held as per Records Management Code of Practice for Health and Social Care 2016.
Who do we share your information with?
We will share information with the following main partner organisations as it forms part of the patient records for example, GP practices, District Nurses.
To view our full privacy policy, click here.
