The Living Well Centre gives people with life-limiting conditions, and their carers, the opportunity to spend an enjoyable, activity based or relaxing day at the Hospice. Laughter and chatter can often be heard from our guests who attend the Living Well Centre.
We work with each guest to assess their individual needs and develop a personalised programme of support. This is usually for an initial 12 week period and is based on your own aims and goals. Guests are discharged from The Living Well Centre when their needs have been met or their continuing needs can be met in the community by clinical and social care teams.
When at The Living Well Centre guests can access therapeutic care, such as physiotherapy and complementary therapies, such as reiki or aromatherapy. Those attending can take part in a range of activities that help to manage symptoms, improve mobility and independence and help them to feel supported. Some of our sessions are one-to-one where others are delivered as part of a group. We pride ourselves on being a happy, vibrant place to spend time and our aim is to make every day count and help to improve quality of life.
Gallery
The Sycamore Room is a large bright airy space with wooden floors, soft furnishings and lots of windows. We use this space for dancing, yoga, creative writing groups, sporting memories sessions and much more. The Hawthorn Room is suited to sound therapy sessions, art classes and advice sessions. The Hub is a great space for a good chat. The room has lots of modern sofas, cosy chairs and plenty of side tables to rest a cuppa and biscuit on. We have a dedicated gym space for gentle exercise groups. Three relaxing therapy rooms are available and many of our guests describe them as just like being at a spa.
I was extremely apprehensive coming to the Hospice. I had no idea what this place would be like. I thought it would be all doom and gloom but I couldn’t have been more wrong. The staff and volunteers are incredible and everyone is so positive. The place is full of laughter. Come along and try it, I think you’ll be as surprised as I was.
All therapies are given alongside conventional medical treatment. They can help you to feel more relaxed or sleep better, and can even help relieve pain and improve energy levels. The benefits of attending The Living Well Centre may include improved symptom management, greater independence and the confidence to plan for the future.
Therapy groups currently on offer:
- Breathlessness Management – a six week course led by our physiotherapy team with advice and techniques to manage breathlessness.
- Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) – CST is a type of treatment for people with mild to moderate dementia. This 10 week program supports people with a dementia diagnosis to take a trip down memory lane and to participate in activities that encourage thought processes and social interaction.
- Fatigue and Sleep Management – a six week course led by our Occupational Therapist, encouraging people to make positive changes to cope with tiredness and promote better quality sleep.
- Creative Writing – a group to explore memories and feelings in a light hearted way, or to simply get creative and write a work of fiction. The group often begins with a word game or task to get the imagination going. This could be something as simple as picking words out from a hat as a starting point. There is opportunity to share your stories with the group which can often spark common memories and discussion between group members.
- Strength and Balance – the exercises covered during this six week program are particularly important for those who have had a period in hospital, a recent fall or feel they are losing strength and mobility.
- Exercise – a six week programme of gentle exercises with the physiotherapy team including adapted Tai Chi. In addition to being beneficial for your physical health, exercise can also be very positive for your mental health and wellbeing.
- Complementary Therapies – a maximum of six sessions of therapies including reiki, foot massage and acupuncture are delivered by our qualified therapists. These sessions can help to relieve physical and psychological symptoms and aid in the management of pain, mobility, depression, anxiety and stress.
- The Potting Shed Men’s Dementia Group – Based on the idea of an afternoon working at the allotment, guests are invited to bring a packed lunch and flask and roll up their sleeves for some light gardening tasks. The group always starts with a relaxed game of some kind while enjoying lunch, or looking through old photographs of Durham, with some vintage music playing.
We welcome guests to attend at all stages of their illness; when newly diagnosed, in treatment, living with symptoms of their illness and when requiring specialist care and advice. Referrals to The Living Well Centre can be made by any healthcare professional. There is no charge for our care thanks to donations, gifts in wills and fundraising events. Our generous community of supporters cover over 60% of our running costs, meaning St Cuthbert’s Hospice care is free to all who need it.
Our coronavirus precautions
Every person entering the Hospice will undertake a lateral flow test, which must be a negative result. We provide the lateral flow test along with instructions and assistance on how to register the result. Groups are limited to 3 and 4 people per session to allow for social distancing. All rooms and spaces follow current social distancing guidelines. Face masks must be worn at all times when in the Hospice unless medically exempt.
Contact us
If you would like more information about attending or would like to arrange to have a look around, please contact 0191 386 1170 option 2.
