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This project is designed to help reduce the stress of parents, children and care team staff by providing complementary therapies. It aims to provide services such as aromatherapy, reflexology, reiki, positive touch, and massage.

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Categories

  • Health/Wellbeing Health/​Wellbeing
  • Beneficiaries

    • Children (3-18) Children (3-18)
    • Young People (18-30) Young People (18-30)

    Situation

    The Project Caring for a life limited or life threatened child is not just about clinical care for the child. Many of the children have come from long stays in hospital, without the benefit of positive touch that complementary therapies can provide. Most contact would have been clinical, and perhaps even invasive. Additionally, their family has a direct impact on their health. It can be very stressful to care for a high needs child, and this puts a strain on the entire family. We intend to start this program within Julia’s House hospice, and expand the service so therapists will visit participants’ homes as well. This project will initially be for the parents. We intend to expand services to the children we care for, their siblings (with consent from the parents and the children) and care staff. This project is intended to provide stress relief and relaxation for the participants. Outcomes For the parents it will be another way in which Julia’s House can support them. By offering the service with respite care for their child, it will make it easier and more convenient for them to make use of the service. Also, by hosting ‘pampering evenings’ for the parents, they can benefit from the social support of other parents. We also hope that these treatments will provide added benefits for the life-limited and life-threatened children we care for. From a physiotherapy point of view, therapies such as massage can stretch out muscles and ligaments. Also, research done in adults in hospices about benefits of these treatments has found that they can provide symptom control and pain relief in addition to relaxation. Costs The main cost of the project will be the salary of a part time Complementary Therapies Co-ordinator. Judging from professionals who have contacted us and volunteered their services, we intend to have volunteer therapists. Other costs include supplies, possible respite care while the parent is receiving treatment, and volunteer training and checks.

    Solution

    100%
    Categories

  • Health/Wellbeing Health/​Wellbeing
  • Beneficiaries

    • Children (3-18) Children (3-18)
    • Young People (18-30) Young People (18-30)