Community Services

All our care is provided free of charge, and is mainly provided in people’s homes – because most people prefer to be at home, with their families and in familiar surroundings.

Specialist Nurses

Our team of specialist nurses help to make care at home possible. They will also provide you with up-to-date information about other services you may wish to use. They also provide up-to-date information about other services we offer. They visit patients in their own homes, in community hospitals and in residential and nursing homes, providing advice and support for patients and their families or carers. Experienced registered nurses, they work closely with GPs, community nurses, hospital staff and other health professionals to provide a high standard of care to patients and families who have complex needs, to help them adjust to the changes in lifestyle caused by a life-threatening illness.

They will also provide you with up-to-date information about other services you may wish to use.

They can also provide up-to-date information about other services we offer.
• Pain
• Nausea/Vomiting
• Constipation
• Fatigue
• Breathlessness
• Sleeping/Eating problems
• Other symptoms related to illness

They also:
• Offer an opportunity to talk about fears and anxieties
• Share their knowledge with carer/family/health professionals and enable them to give high quality care
• Provide up-to-date information about other services
• Support families and carers
• Provide support during bereavement

Hospice at Home

Hospice at Home, as the name suggests, provides nursing care to support patients and their families in their own homes. The service, provided by experienced Dorothy House carers, is used in the later stages of a life-threatening illness. Having a Hospice at Home Carer allows the usual carer to get a good night’s sleep, or to take a break during the day, knowing the patient is being safely and professionally cared for.

Hospice at Home can be accessed by health care professionals, such as District Nurses, GPs and Specialist Nurses, and is subject to availability of resources.

A Night Shift is 10.00pm to 7.00am (waking). Day shifts are flexible, but are for at least three hours.

The Hospice at Home service has been expanded to include respite care at home, round the clock, for up to a week. This allows regular carers to take a break – whether for a holiday, special event or just to have some time for themselves. Importantly, Respite at Home will provide the patient with nursing care, without having to move to an unfamiliar environment. Respite at Home is accessed via a Dorothy House professional.

Adult Bereavement Service

The Bereavement Service seeks to:
• offer emotional and psychological support as the bereaved adjust to life without the person who died;
• acknowledge the pain of grief as a natural part of the human experience.

A range of free and confidential services, including one to one support, is available to any bereaved relative or carer of a patient known to Dorothy House.

The Bereavement Service includes a team of trained and supervised Bereavement Workers, who can meet you in your home or at Dorothy House.