“It’s disheartening to see someone reaching the end of their life with no one beside them.” - How Helen started her journey as an end-of-life care volunteer.
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12th July 2021
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COMPASSIONATE IT Account Manager Helen Hughes, who is living in Hertfordshire, only learned about the end of life care volunteering role in January this year, following her sister’s recommendation to join the volunteering team at West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust.
When she heard about the programme, she knew this was something that she wanted to do.
She explained: “I have been volunteering for the NHS since May last year, at the Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, as a way to say thank you to the team for looking after my dad so well when he had his stroke. The volunteering opportunity allowed me to engage with many patients, especially the elderly ones and I knew how important it was for them to have that social contact, to feel that someone still cares about them.
“When I first learned about the End-of-Life care volunteering programme at West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust, supported by Helpforce and Marie Curie charities, I was immediately interested in the opportunity as the more I learned about it, the more it saddened me to know that so many people having to die alone, especially during the pandemic when visitors weren’t allowed to come in, or simply they had no one.”
As an end-of-life care volunteer, Helen gets to spend time to sit with patients, chatting with them, combing their hair, giving them mouth care, and ensuring that they are comfortable in their beds. Thanks to the ease of the restrictions, the end-of-life care volunteering programme has been able to restart at the Trust since April and Helen has been able to provide the much needed support to patients and staff.
The 43-year-old said: “I have been able to support two patients so far and although most of the time, they are asleep due to their medication. When I first met them, seeing them in bed by themselves, I felt very emotional and even though they were asleep, I always started with: “Hello, my name is Helen and I’m a volunteer. I don’t know if you can hear me, but I’m here for you.
“I also feel that my support has allowed staff to have extra time to provide clinical support to patients with more needs and some staff said to me that thanks to volunteers like me, they feel more at ease, knowing that patients having someone next to them to keep them company.”
Helen said she has been having the best experience so far, thanks to the support she has received from the Volunteering team and the Palliative Care team at the Trust. She shared one of her memorable experiences when she first started: “During my training, I was very impressed with Jane, a clinical staff member, who took time to show me how she would care for patients. Her caring manners as well as professionalism were really inspiring and I just hope that I could be nearly as good as her and I would be happy.”
When asked if she would recommend volunteering to everyone, Helen didn’t hesitate to say ‘Yes’. She explained: “I love what I do and I believe that volunteering has changed my perspective on life a lot and helped with my mental health. Without this experience, I would be stuck at home during the lockdown and alone, as my son and my parents live far away from me.
“In a way, volunteering has changed me for the better. I have always been a warrior and quite often, I used to get stressed very easily. But after volunteering for the NHS, I have realised how fortunate I am to have a great support system, and I am able to step back, observe, and care for more people.”
Helen also shared her view on why she thinks our healthcare system needs more end of life volunteers. She explained: “During this pandemic, I have seen so many patients and families having to suffer hardship and I can truly say that volunteers can step in to make it a bit easier for them and for the staff. Many family members have told me that they feel so reassured to know that there are volunteers who take time to talk to their loved ones, offering friendship and support.”
To learn more about the End-of-Life care volunteering programme that Helpforce and Marie Curie are running with seven NHS Trusts across the UK, please click here.
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