Companion service to aid end-of-life patients
Volunteers are helping to provide end-of-life support to patients at three Powys hospitals, with more due to be included in the future.
They offer companionship, friendship and support to those who are terminally ill, and to their families, and will also continue to support relatives after the loss of their loved ones if needed, organiser of the newly established Companion Volunteer Service say.
The service is available in Ystradgynlais, Brecon and Bronllys Hospitals, with the potential for it to be extended across the rest of Powys during the project. Due to current Covid-19 restrictions the support now is offered either by telephone or video call but could be face-to-face in the future.
Louise Hymers, Powys Teaching Health Board’s Macmillan lead nurse for cancer and palliative care, said: “The support offered by the volunteer is that of companionship, someone to talk to, a friendly voice.
"All the volunteers within the service have had appropriate training in supporting people at this difficult time.
“Following referral to the Companion Volunteer Service, we match each patient and/or relative to a suitably trained volunteer. This volunteer will then contact the patient and/or relative to provide support.”
In-patients at the three hospitals, who are in the last 12 months of their life, and their relatives, can refer themselves to the volunteer service, or ask a nurse to refer them.
The free service is funded by the Welsh Government and the National Lottery Community Fund and received support from two charities, Helpforce and Marie Curie.
Maeve Hully, director of volunteering at Helpforce, said: “We are delighted to work in partnership with Marie Curie to support the delivery of this important project at three Powys hospitals."
