My name is Pam and I work in the Hospice at Home Team at Ashgate Hospicecare as a Support Worker. I wanted to share with you what I do on a typical day to support people in their own homes and to thank you for enabling me to do this.

On this particular day, I’m going to see Ralph to provide respite which allows his wife to have some time out of the house. It’s an opportunity for her to relax and perhaps get her hair done, knowing that he is being cared for. Ralph tells me how much he enjoys my visit from what he calls the ‘outside world’. The district nurse calls in and the telephone rings three times so I take messages to pass on to his wife. I remind Ralph to take his medication and then he spends the rest of the morning reminiscing about his past and telling tales from his working life.

Another visit is to a lady who is at the end of her life. Her granddaughter is looking after her in the afternoon but she is nervous about being alone with her. My job is to support the granddaughter when the rest of her family can’t be there. She tells me about the happiness her grandma has brought to the family, which makes me feel so privileged to be with her at the end of her life. I leave when her family members start to arrive.

Every day is different depending on how well or how ill your patients are. We always prioritise pain relief, and we aim to be very responsive to patients needs while always striving to maintain their privacy and dignity.