At Galway Hospice we provide a wide variety of other services which are an essential part of the care we give at Galway Hospice, and can improve our patients' lives enormously, both physically and mentally:
- Occupational Therapy can help you to adjust to the limitations caused by your illness, and get the most out of life.
- Physiotherapy can help you to stay active and independent.
- Our Complementary Therapies, such as aromatherapy can help with skincare and relaxation.
- Sometimes expressing your thoughts and feelings can be hard so art therapy can help you to do this. It uses art materials to express thoughts, feelings and experiences in a safe environment. You don’t need to be good at art to benefit from it.
- Our Pastoral Care Team also provide emotional and spiritual support for both you and those close to you.
- Art Therapy helps people express thoughts, feelings and experiences that are otherwise difficult to express in words alone. You do not need to be ‘good’ at art to take part in or benefit from Art Therapy, and no prior experience of art is necessary.
Therapies can help our patients:
- Improve mobility (walking, getting out and about, daily routine)
- Improve communication, swallowing, feeding and nutrition
- Be more in control of their own well-being
- Adapt to changes as their condition progresses
- Find different ways of doing things
- Improve functional ability at all times of their illness
- Manage and cope with any difficult symptoms of illness.
Occupational Therapy helps people to do the everyday activities that they want to do and need to do when faced with illness, disability or challenging life events. Through assessment and individual goal setting, occupational therapy can support people to maximise their function, independence and overall quality of life.
The role of our occupational therapists includes activity of daily living assessment and practice, engagement in meaningful occupations or activities, equipment provision, home visits and discharge planning as well as much more. Interventions are solely based on each individual’s own goals and wishes.
The Physiotherapy Team are available to patients who avail of our Inpatient Unit, Day Care Service and Fatigue and Breathlessness Programme. We collaborate closely with the rest of the team and the Physiotherapy services in the community and acute hospitals.
Our role involves continual assessment of baseline physical function, pain management, safety around mobility, prevention of falls, maximisation of movement, management of breathlessness and anxiety, relaxation, education and prescription of personalised exercise programmes, advice on lymphoedema management, and rehabilitation in the palliative setting, including advice and support to both patients and families.
We work with patients and families, on individual goals specific to their own quality of life. We work to optimise function and wellbeing, to try to enable our patients to live as independently as possible, with choice and autonomy within the limitation of progressing disease.
Our treatments help with promoting relaxation, reducing anxiety and providing time to let go of tensions. It can also be useful for skincare and general wellbeing.
Aromatherapy is most often used as part of a gentle massage treatment and also sprays, creams and inhalations. Each essential oil will be selected by its distinctive therapeutic property. Several oils may be blended to suit each person’s needs
Art Therapy is a form of Psychotherapy which provides an opportunity to connect with yourself and the art materials, guided and supported by an experienced Art Therapist.
Art Therapy can help to address some of the complex issues that can arise following the diagnosis of a life limiting illness.
Art Therapy offers a confidential and reflective space to explore memories, feelings, thoughts and experiences through creative expression.
Our Pastoral Care Team are committed to a patient-led approach. The team listen to your needs, fears and hopes. They accompany you as you seek to answer questions and search for meaning in the midst of illness. The Pastoral Care Team understands that coming to the Hospice can be an anxious time for both patients and their families.
Our role is to offer:
- An opportunity to share worries and concerns.
- A listening ear and a supportive, non-judgemental, presence.
- Support to patients and their families from diverse cultures and faith, traditions or none.
- Help you to meet your specific faith or spiritual needs.
- Accompaniment during terminal illness, death and dying.
We have a beautiful Chapel and you are welcome to visit it at any time to sit and pray, reflect or just enjoy the peacefulness it offers. People of all faiths and none are welcome.
Our pharmacists at both sites are available to provide support and information to patients and will help answer any questions you may have about your medications.