Skanda Vale Hospice - Our story so far

Our story so far...

IT ALL BEGAN IN 1987...When the founder of Skanda Vale Monastery ( a gentleman named Guru Sri Subramanium)

had a serious heart attack.

IT ALL BEGAN IN 1987...As Guru was recovering in hospital, he began to pay close attention to

the other patients on the ward.

IT ALL BEGAN IN 1987...One of the patients was an elderly man, in the last stages of life. But he had

no family or friends with him.

worked

flat outthe nurses

But they could only affordto spend a few preciousminutes with the old man.

THE MAN DIEDON HIS OWN –

LONELY & AFRAID

CHANGESOMETHING HAD TO

Guru couldn’t bear the idea of people dying in that way. He felt strongly inspired to start a hospice.

care at home...After years of fundraising, in 1993 we launched our first hospice service, providing care for the dying in their own homes.

bricks

mortarBy 2004, we had raised enough to buy a property in Saron, enabling us to offer a much wider range of care services.

&

The atmosphere at the hospice is happy, warm and welcoming.

They provide a stress-free environment where you can meet and

talk to staff and fellow sufferers, in a normal home setting, at

a time when hospitals, and hospital treatment, dominates your life.

What they can give in abundance is time. Time to listen to worries

that you can't, or feel unable, to discuss with loved ones. Time to

just sit and be, without constantly being asked if you're ‘alright’.

Time to just chat about everything and nothing.

So few people and places have time these days, but the hospice

is a place where time, or the lack of it, is not an issue. Such an

important factor of care, when every second can be so precious.

MY HOSPICE DIARY

DENISE - HOSPICE USER

so far, so goodThe hospice has been a huge

success. We’ve helped hun-dreds of local patients,

carers and families.

BUT IT’S STILLNOT ENOUGH

here’s the problem:✦ South West Wales has a rapidly aging population.

here’s the problem:✦ South West Wales has a rapidly aging population. ✦ We have the highest rate of chronic illness in the UK.

here’s the problem:✦ South West Wales has a rapidly aging population. ✦ We have the highest rate of chronic illness in the UK. ✦ Our need for palliative care is 17% higher than the UK average.

here’s the problem:✦ South West Wales has a rapidly aging population. ✦ We have the highest rate of chronic illness in the UK. ✦ Our need for palliative care is 17% higher than the UK average.

✦ There’s only one hospice bed for every 62,053 people.

here’s the problem:✦ South West Wales has a rapidly aging population. ✦ We have the highest rate of chronic illness in the UK. ✦ Our need for palliative care is 17% higher than the UK average.

✦ There’s only one hospice bed for every 62,053 people.✦ People have to travel long distances to get help... or struggle on alone.

morewe have to do

South West Wales URGENTLY needs new hospice services, especially respite and end of life care beds.

here’s a solution:

We’re redeveloping our hospice to offer inpatient respite and end of life care services, that aren’t available in our region.

The new hospice will be ideally located in the centre of the threecounties. Soon, peoplewill be able to get the care they need, from much closer to home.

communityheart of the

There’ll be six ensuite bedrooms, plus special accommodation for families. We’ll offer expert nursing, therapies & advice.

The new building has lots of curves for a soft, embracing feel. There’s also a huge garden with ponds, easily accessible to all.

This ambitious project will cost £2 million to complete,and our building expenses will run to nearly £2500 each day!

The hospice will be very energy efficient. This biomass boilerwill provide all the heating – using wood from our own forest.

It has been quite a dramatic development...Lots of demolition, and an enormous extension.

But progress has been extremely quick...We’re planning to open in November.

how can i get involved?

We’ve got some great volunteering roles for clinical staff, carers, shop assistants, fundraisers... come and get inspired!

FIND OUT MORE:skandavalehospice.org