Hospice No. 1

Today we visited St Christopher’s for the first time, taking a tour around the building and grounds with the community artist we’ll be working with. Although I knew that the ethos of the hospice was positive, and that the atmosphere would reflect this, I didn’t expect the quiet, white space that we walked through. The rooms and corridors exuded calm, lit brightly and relatively empty. The gardens and grounds were vigorously green, soaking up the sun and obviously well cared for. Being shown around the hospice, I realised how important it is for the people there to be active and creative, both independently and as a community, and the hospice serves as a major outlet for this. There is art everywhere around the building, all of it made through the art schemes run by the hospice. When we arrived at the art pavilion, we spoke to another of the community artists and saw some of the works in progress. Meeting some of the staff, I can see how much their work means to them, providing a means of interaction both with patients and community groups around the area. Having visited the hospice, I feel uplifted and excited about the project - can't wait for the first workshop!

Returning to the Hospice

Although I've worked with patients at St Christopher's beofre. I was still a little apprehensive about visiting again. Not because of a dislike for the place- actually, I may be one of the few people who seems to have no issue with the concept of death. I worry more about my own inadequacy, because I really want to do my best to enrich these patients' lives. The building was quite open plan, but it was still busy and noisy, which made it hard to concentrate, but I hope to listen to whoever I'm working with to the best of my ability. I guess one of the plus points of this kind of community project is the personal involvement with the patient (which could be considered a client in a way). The relationships I build with them will directly affect the final outcome and whether or not the project is a success, in both achieving my assessment criteria and livening up some really nice peoples' final years, months or days.

My emotions

During my first visit to St. Christopher’s Hospice, I found that the hospice itself was nothing like what I had prepared myself for. After years of watching soap operas on T.V in which the tragic older cast member slowly fades away in a white haled, depressing, clinical hospice I had told myself to expect the worst. However, upon arriving an hour earlier than the rest of my class, I soon found i was very, very mistaken.

I wandered somewhat gingerly into the main reception area and was quickly greeted by a very perky receptionist asking how I was?! This was nothing close to the bleak resting place for the terminally ill I had seen on the telly, this place was far more like a hotel. I muttered that I was here for the BRIT art course with the patients and was told that I was early.

I then proceeded back to Sydenham station, had a coffee and an English breakfast and pondered over whether the lovely receptionist was a front for a sad building...

An hour quickly passed and I soon found myself being escorted around the grounds of the hospice. I was shocked; we passed through a music therapy room with electric guitars, recording equipment and a drum set. We the proceeded upstairs to the first wing on off the patient’s floor. Musing to myself of a very elderly group of musicians rocking out in music therapy, I was greeted to a cold reminder of what this place really was beyond the music therapy and the beautiful grounds (even the gym where the patients do Pilates) by the tour guide saying, ”oh and down the stairs is the morgue”.

The rest of the tour after that sentence consisted of a lot of mixed feelings for me. Seeing the beauty of the building and the grounds, imagining how nice it must be to be able live out your last days in this resting place brought a lot of peace to me as my aunt had recently died in a hospice and knowing that she received this level of care brought a smile to my face.

I can safely say that I’m looking forward to meeting and interacting with the patients.

St Christopher’s Atmosphere

Before going into St Christopher’s Hospice I felt really nervous, not really knowing what to expect. From our talks about the project in class I understood that there is a very upfront and revealed atmosphere in the hospice that doesn’t really hide anything from you or shield you from the issues that are dealt with there. When we first entered the hospice the first thing that struck me was nothing to do with death or life leading up to it, it was just the beauty of the surroundings and the calm mood. It felt really peaceful and welcoming. We then had a tour of the hospice. It felt really comforting to see all of the art work done by patients and to learn that art is a well explored subject in the hospice. We wouldn’t be doing anything that the patients wouldn’t be accustomed to. We didn’t meet any of the patients in the first visit, I think once we do meet some the place will seem more real. I still feel anxious to meet some of the patients, but exited to learn about their lives.

Introduction to St. Christopher's

My first impression of the St. Christopher’s Hospice is that it was extremely welcoming and had a really positive atmosphere with the overall mood of the hospice being very encouraging. The gardens and outdoor life was really up-lifting and a great place to gather your thoughts and was very calm and peaceful which was not something that I expected.

The staff really took into account that this project was going to be difficult at times whilst at the same time really motivating and inspirational. They understood how we may find it tough but they would be with us every step of the way. The staff we had the pleasure of taking to on our first meeting were extremely kind and friendly and easy to start conversation with.

The Hospice is very hands on and gets everyone involved which I thought was really motivational. The art hung in the buildings are made by patients and the Art team. It’s great to see that everyone gets stuck in as this makes me even eager to start our project!