Hospice to share its ambitions to enhance and extend care at public event

Rowcroft Hospice is committed to making every day the best it can be for those living with a life limiting illness and their families in South Devon. It is currently investigating how it can enhance and extend its care to support more people in the future.

Following a community survey into elderly care provision, the hospice is continuing to gather local views on its ambitions with a public engagement event. Taking place at Rowcroft Hospice on Thursday 9 December 2.30pm to 7pm, the event will provide an opportunity for people to help inform the hospice’s plans.

At the heart of Rowcroft’s ambition to enhance and extend its care is a refurbishment of the Inpatient Unit. The hospice is exploring various options including increasing the number of beds, as well as looking at how it can create spaces that will give patients and their families even greater independence and choice during those precious moments together.

In the Torbay Strategy for Housing in Later Life, it is estimated that by 2035, the area will have a 370 shortfall in dementia nursing beds. This is reflected in Rowcroft’s recent community survey into elderly care provision, which revealed that care for those with dementia was a key concern – 60% of respondents said that more was needed locally. Nearly 50% of respondents also felt that there wasn’t enough end of life care, options for multi-generational companionship, dementia nursing and elderly living and accessible recreational activity venues in the community to support the elderly population. Following this research, the hospice is looking at how it can extend its offer to support the dementia care gap, as well as help to make the elderly living, multi-generational and recreational connections for the elderly that are currently missing.

Mark Hawkins, Rowcroft Hospice CEO, said: “We are incredibly proud to care for our community and want to ensure that specialist, quality end of life care is available to everyone who needs us, irrespective of diagnosis, circumstance or background.

“It is, therefore, really important that we take on board the opinions of our community to ensure our care evolves in a way that will best support everyone who needs us in the future.

“The public engagement event is open to all giving us the opportunity to share our ambitions, talk to local people and listen to their views first hand.”

 

Event details:

 

Date:           Thursday 9 December

Time:          2.30pm to 7pm

Location:     Rainbow House at Rowcroft Hospice

                   Avenue Road

                   Torquay

                   TQ2 5LS

 

Rowcroft can be contacted about this event at care@rowcrofthospice.org.uk