Mental Health Support

Our Family Support Team are thereto help both patients and their families through difficult times. 

Alongside skilled and professional counsellors we also have volunteers who have used the service themselves or who have a natural vocation and give their time for free.  Please visit their page to hear more about these services.  There is no charge for their support and the tea and coffee are plentiful too.

We know that talking about dying can be difficult but it is important that we talk about our wishes.  Dying Matters week takes place in May each year.  Halton Haven Hospice uses that time to promote messages through it’s social media encouraging people to talk more openly and to plan for the future.

Many patients find the support of our Family Support Team and other mental health professionals useful in beginning these conversations.  It is important that you feel confident in the decisions that you are making.  Perhaps you would like to take away from your family the burden of arranging your funeral but you’re not quite in the right place to do so.  Our holistic team can help with that and support you to a place where you are mentally able to do so.

Speaking openly about death and dying alleviates isolation at a very important time of your life.  Dealing with an illness can have significant mental impact and the fear of speaking to family and friends can add to that distress.  Having the availability of our counsellors, medical staff and chaplain can give you the opportunity of a supportive listening ear in a secure environment.

It’s also important to consider what you will be asked by young people and how you will explain what is happening to them.  It can be a very confusing time and the charity Dying Matters has put together a leaflet which you can download HERE

Age UK has created a video about what to expect as someone approaches the end of their life and the conversations to be had and how to do that.