Specialists in palliative care

Family & Bereavement Support

The St John’s team supports patients and families through talking therapies, spiritual care and bereavement support. You may wish to talk to someone about your beliefs, maybe your fears, faith or worries about the future. They offer a friendly listening ear and time to chat about what matters to you, and support you irrespective of what you believe or follow. They can also put you or your family in touch with community ministers or faith leaders. The team offers support whether you are staying on or visiting the inpatient ward.
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Forget Me Not Centre

The Forget Me Not Centre offers a safe and trusting environment for children, adults and families away from their home and the main Hospice building, for psychological support.

We provide tailored therapeutic support for children and young people on an individual basis to help develop coping skills, which could also be as part of a group, or as a family. We will offer children's peer support groups to help children share their experiences with each other and express their grief. Support will be for children and young people of different ages and families, to meet your individual needs. Support for adults individually has always been available and will continue, to help them individually and help their family.

Family activities will be arranged to give that very important time to help families heal.
Find out more about the Forget Me Not Centre

My wonderful Dad was cared for at home by the Hospice at Home and Clinical Nurse Specialist teams. Dad loved the Hospice team, he and Pippa got on brilliantly chatting about their Scottish roots. He and Mum called them angels.

What people don’t know about St John’s until they come into contact with them is that they look after the whole family. They looked after Dad, Mum and me, whilst also managing to help my children.

The care continued after Dad died with the Hospice team keeping in touch and offering bereavement support. I wasn’t ready for bereavement support at first and like many parents tried to focus all my attention on my children who were missing their Grandad. But then I found myself in a place where I couldn’t move forward.

When I first stepped into the Forget Me Not Centre at St John’s I immediately felt a sense of calm. The weekly counselling sessions and therapies with Jude gave me a safe place to ‘let go’ and not worry about being ‘strong’ or judged by others so I could finally process my grief. Staff there went above and beyond to try and help me with so many things – I’m very grateful.

The best way I can describe St John’s care is being wrapped in a lovely warm blanket. Their care helped take me from a place of darkness to acceptance and light, which is why I am encouraging the community to support the annual Light Up a Life appeal.

Soon I’ll be volunteering for St John’s – I know how important their work is to all whose lives are touched by it. I want to help so other patients and families can experience the care my family did.

Lizzie

Grief Café

Our monthly Grief Café is a free monthly drop in session for anyone experiencing grief. It is a chance for reflection and to share experiences with others in a relaxed environment. There are also activities to take part in if you would like to as well.

The Grief Café takes place at The Courtyard Café at St John’s Hospice on Slyne Road, on the second Tuesday of each month: 4.30 – 6:00pm.

If you know someone who would benefit from attending please do invite them to come along. You are welcome to attend alone or to bring someone with you.

The Grief Café is very kindly supported by a grant from the Lancaster Community Fund. Their support directly helps individuals who have been bereaved and are experiencing grief, vulnerability and often social isolation. St John's Hospice and the community it cares for during this very difficult period are grateful to Lancaster Community Fund for their help.

Our Chapel

We also have a non-denominational space on site which you are welcome to visit  during your stay, regardless of your faith or religious beliefs. It is a beautiful space for quiet reflection. Families are also welcome to make use of it too. Please ask any member of staff on the ward for more information.

To contact the bereavement team please call: 01524 551195

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