When the order for lockdown came, Rennie Grove’s hospice at home teams adapted quickly to ensure they could continue to care for people at home, day and night. This was so important for these families when most other support networks stopped. In April and May Rennie Grove nurses cared for a record 600 patients and accepted 250 new referrals. They made 2,536 visits to patients’ homes, protecting the NHS by keeping them out of hospital.
The families cared for by the children’s hospice at home team had to juggle the demands of home-schooling, working from home and the loss of valuable support from family and friends with the ongoing round-the-clock health needs of a sick child. The team was one of the few sources of support for these hard-pressed families.
Shambhavi, Mum to 18 year old Aayushi who has a severe global neuro-disability said:
“Rennie Grove have been my lifeline during lockdown. All the normal services are not available 24 hours, whereas their nurses are always on hand to help. It’s been an amazing experience.”
The funding received from The Hospice Lottery was more important than ever during this time as income from shops and other fundraising activities stopped. Thank you to everyone for helping ensure that Rennie Grove’s care could continue.
