In December, with her health rapidly deteriorating, Michelle called the Hospice’s 24-hour telephone advice line for urgent help, and was able to access the care and support provided by our new doctor-led virtual ward service so that she could remain at home.
Michelle says: “My chest infection at Christmas was particularly bad. I was scared. I was really scared. I wanted a bed at the Hospice but I didn’t want a bed, if that makes sense. I never felt so poorly. I thought ‘this is it, this is the end!’.”
Michelle is living with lung disease and is often admitted to the Hospice Inpatient Unit or local hospital so she can be cared for to treat and manage her condition and symptoms. But, Michelle lives alone with her two dogs and cat and has to arrange care for her animals. This adds to Michelle’s stress and also means she isn’t able to benefit from the comfort she gets from her animals as she recovers.
The virtual ward enabled Michelle to get the vital care she needed in the comfort of her own home. With daily visits from the multi-disciplinary team, led by our team of doctors, Michelle’s infection cleared and her symptoms were back under control within two weeks.