Former nurse and midwife Connie Yearley lives happily in Letchworth, despite being partially sighted and deaf in one ear. In the past, she’s had successful treatment for colon cancer and is waiting for an operation for hernias. Before Christmas, she was diagnosed with pneumonia and admitted to hospital for 10 days, before a consultant suggested she could benefit from our frailty service.
Connie noticed herself becoming breathless on her daily walk. She was eventually sent into hospital by ambulance when her GP discovered how low her oxygen levels were, and was 'over the moon' to learn about the Frailty Service here at Garden House Hospice Care:
"I knew I wasn't ready for home, I needed some extra support to get me off the oxygen and to get me moving and mobile again. Being here I have access to physio, I have a few more days to recover and I am grateful to know that I will feel better when I get home. I'll be stronger and more able to cope."
Connie admitted her son was worried when she mentioned the Hospice. "He said to me, 'oh dear mum, that's not good!' But I put him straight and explained the scheme - it's a brilliant idea. The staff are lovely, helpful and gracious, having access to physio will get me back on my feet and give me more confidence. Every day I am getting better."
We met Connie only 24 hours after her admission, and stayed for her first meeting with occupational therapist, Lucy Heaps, and physio, Althea Steenberg. During their session, they were able to support Connie with sitting and walking gently around her bed and into a chair. Connie's face glowed to be moving again!
Connie's first meeting with one of our occupational therapists, Lucy
The focus while she is at the Hospice will be to get her mobile and strong enough to return home. This begins with simple steps such as encouraging her to get dressed every day, and she has completed a kitchen assessment with our occupational therapists to make sure she can safely make a hot drink and move across her kitchen. The aim is to build her confidence too, so she feels ready to get back to normality.
Once Connie is strong enough to return home, she will do so knowing she can continue to seek support from the Hospice, should she need it.
"It's wonderful this link is available all the way through and to have these teams available - I am thrilled with it," she said. "It's going to make a huge difference to people like me. It's a link between the hospital and getting home which was hit and miss before, and the onward support will be positive and helpful. I am very pleased to take advantage of this new facility and I hope it works for lots of people."
