Volunteers to help end of life patients at Great Western Hospital
A new volunteer service has been set up to support hospital patients who are nearing the end of their lives.The Butterfly Volunteers at Great Western Hospital in Swindon will provide emotional support and companionship for patients in their final days, alongside their families.The service, which is funded by the hospital's charity Brighter Futures, is being offered in partnership with the End of Life and Palliative Care Team, voluntary services and the Anne Robson Trust.Butterfly coordinator Abigail Grimmer said: "They are specially trained to offer quiet companionship and a reassuring presence."
"Patients facing the end of life, when they're in hospital, it can be really lonely and daunting," she said."Unfortunately, staff, nurses and doctors, we don't always have the time to sit with patients when they really need that comfort and support. "We wanted to be able to provide that in a different way," she added.The support will include signposting family members to available bereavement support services, reading or playing music to patients and or discussing their wishes with families.
'Not alone'
"They're not here to provide your physical care for patients. It might be as simple as just sitting with someone and holding their hand, or reading to them, playing some music that they might like, or just literally just being in the room with a patient so that they're not alone," said Ms Grimmer.On the type of person they need as a volunteer, Ms Grimmer said being interested in the role is the start but there is no real job description."We just want someone who's kind and and willing to be here for patients," she said.The support will include signposting family members to available bereavement support services, reading or playing music to patients and or discussing their wishes with families.
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