Comfort packs for bereaved families
19 SEPTEMBER 2024
When someone dies who is important to you it can be one of the hardest things we have to deal with.
York & Scarborough Hospitals Charity offer a range of support to the bereaved when someone dies across our acute hospital settings.
Everyone experiences grief differently and the specialist palliative care team are at hand to offer advice, support, and information to help adults and children of all ages.
The charity supports the essential service by funding comfort packs for those staying overnight with the patient who are at the end of their life, as this can sometimes come at a time when family and friends are unprepared for bad news and have little time to gather belongings.
A special charity tote bag is given to those staying with the patient overnight containing a blanket, essential toiletries, tissues and a food and drink voucher for either Ellerby’s Restaurant at York Hospital or for Pat’s Place at Scarborough Hospital.
The idea for the scheme was the brainchild of a domestic housekeeper at Scarborough Hospital. It was then decided it would be welcomed by other families and the decision was made to roll the idea out across the Trust with the support of funding from York & Scarborough Hospitals Charity.
Debbie Bayes, Lead Nurse for Palliative Nurse and End of Life Care said: “The pack is given to those who really need it at a very difficult time in their lives. Supporting families is very important in the early stages and they bring a lot of comfort. We are very grateful to the charity for their help.”
Debbie said the charity also funds keepsakes in the form of memory boxes for families, in particular children. The memory boxes contain a scrapbook, photo frame, teddy bear and other items that can be personalised to the loved one who may be dying. The boxes are aimed at both help younger or older children to help understand their grief.
A variety of books that offer practical and sensitive support for bereaved children are also provided for families by York & Scarborough Hospitals Charity.
The idea is for children to take them away to read at their own time or work on at home. They aim to help children make sense of their experience. Some of the books are activity books which suggest helpful advice and help support the difficult feelings which inevitable follow when someone dies.
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