Transforming End of Life Care in Acute Hospitals AM Workshop 3: Communities of Development, Carers and Patients Voices presented by Dr Julian Abel, Weston Area Health Trust, Susan Gerry & Les Medcraft, Weston Hospice Care

1. 1.THE HOSPICE BUDDY GROUPS
Susan Gerry-Riley
Compassion Communities Network Coordinator

2. 2. Evolvement of Groups
and Public Health Approach
• Travelling the Journey –
Patient and Carer
• Sharing the Journey –
Course for Carers
• Friends and Family Group
• Buddy Group – bereaved
• Hospice Men in Sheds
• HospiceWalking Group
Capacity Building &
Empowerment
Social Inclusion and
Cohesiveness
Community Development

3. 3. What isThe Hospice Buddy Group?
1. A non-formal bereavement and social group
2. It offers a warm welcome to bereaved caregivers
who would value social contact and support
3. Person’s who attend find it beneficial talking to
other carers who understand the mixed emotions
bereavement brings

4. 4. Social Inclusion Cohesiveness & Social Capital
• We have seen many friendships form
and there is mutual support within
each group
• Linking up in smaller groups or
making one friend
• Bowling, fly fishing
• Dog walking
• Trips to cinema, theatre, coach
excursions
• Members invite other bereaved in
community to social events and
promote buddy group concept
• Regular coffee morning, lunches
• enjoy the challenge of discovering
new places, pubs and tearooms

5. 5. Why Buddy Group was Initiated?
• Caring long term for someone can be isolating and being out
of the loop of friends and family
• This can diminish people’s confidence
• The Buddy Group was initiated with the hope and aim to
encourage bereaved people to find a positive way forward
with support and friendship
• Sharing experiences of caring and the grief that comes when
a loved one dies can often help people find a way forward
after death has occurred.
• The hospice was reluctant at first as it felt people may be at
different parts of their journey and that some may need a lot
of support at the expense of others

6. 6. Pilot Buddy Group 1 Sept 2008
1. During a ‘CarersCourse’ it was identified that spouses were dying at
the same time and wanted to continue meeting after death
2. The support they gave each other was compassion and
understanding of each others grief
3. It was apparent that they had developed a strong relationship
4. This highlighted that friendships can develop between strangers
within a range of ages who are within a similar caring role
5. Therefore it was recognised that sharing experiences during
bereavement helped them get back in the social networks as a
single person with new friends

7. 7. Naming the Group
The pilot group chose
to name ‘The Buddy
Group’
The term ‘friendship’
or ‘bereavement’
did not feel
appropriate for
them

8. 8. Picture of Pilot celebrating 75th 80th & 90th

9. 9. Buddy Group 1 & 2 Christmas 2009

10. 10. Buddy 2 in Scotland

11. 11. Buddy Group 4 onWeston Beach

12. 12. Hospice Safe Place
• Meeting at the hospice
gave them a safe
environment to express
their emotions
• Having, been in a long
relationship for several
years some people struggle
going out alone
• Bereaved women in
particular do not like going
to the theatre or coach trips
alone

13. 13. Observations – benefits
• If carers attend a group they cope better with end of life
(e.g. Carers Course and Family Group)
• Less isolated and less lonely
• If they attend Buddy Group - bereavement pathway is less
arduous
• Bereavement team state that referrals are reduced
• They support each other through illness , death and dying
• E.G. supporting one member who is recovering from a
stroke

14. 14. Observations
• More confident supporting other bereaved persons and
what to ‘say and do’ (and do not avoid them on the street)
• Less men attend than women
• Some leave a group to join a later group
• Some have attended two groups as monthly too long to
wait
• Groups work better in smaller groups of 16 members for
example
• Within all the groups they still remain friends either in small
groups or couples

15. 15. Empowerment , Capacity Building and
Community Development
• Volunteers now facilitating the Buddy Groups
• Volunteers showing interest in further training e.g
bereavement course
• Volunteer Companions supporting Family Group

16. 16. Ongoing Buddy Groups –Total 140
1st Pilot Group Sept 2008 (10
members) 6 months at
hospice
2nd Group March 2009-April
2012 (36 members)
3rd GroupApril 2012- Mar 2015
(40 members)
4th Group March -Dec2014 (15
members all new at the
same time)
5th Group May 2014 (30)
6th Group Jan 2015 (22 to date)

17. 17. Attrition Rate
• Big groups are daunting
for some and prefer
‘one to one’ or small
groups
• Commitments – work
or family
• Too soon and not
returned
• Access to transport.
Hospice cannot offer
service.We do suggest
attendance as sharing
lifts is offered between
Buddies
• Men leave – not enough
men

18. “Going out with family and friends
without my wife, they didn’t want
me to talk about her as they felt
uncomfortable. I felt like I was
playing gooseberry. I liked to talk
about her with happy memories too
I can do this in the Buddy Group”
18. Quote 1

19. “We are all at different stages of
grief and understand what we each
go through. It is normal to grieve
I don’t need counselling, just
empathy and sympathy from
someone who has been through a
caring role and lost a spouse
through death”
19. Quote 2

20. “I am able to talk about my
spouse. It is hard to go out with
friends who are couples. In the
Buddy Group we are new friends
sharing grief, memories and we do
not feel so isolated”
20. Quote 3

21. ANY QUESTIONS
PLEASE?
THANKYOU