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Hilary Mills, Clinical Nurse Manager, speaks about the difference Wicklow Hospice makes to the community.

”People say to me a lot – it must be a sad job. But for me it’s about what I can give to it. And the positive, life-enhancing and inspiring atmosphere that’s created between patients and staff.

Nursing my own father at home definitely gave me a different spin on the palliative care approach. He wanted to be at home and we were able to facilitate that for him. But the challenges of it really struck me. There’s a massive burden of making sure you’re doing the right thing. That’s why it’s so important to have a Community Palliative Care team who visit and care for patients who want to stay in their own home.

For those who need to come into hospice, Wicklow Hospice feels like a home away from home. It’s a place families can be, without having to worry about the actual care needs.

Since opening its doors in 2003, Blackrock Hospice has provided vital palliative care services that have helped tens of thousands of patients and their families.

In 2022 we embarked on a state-of-the art refurbishment project to upgrade the facilities at Blackrock Hospice costing €7m. Our aim was to create a high-quality and comforting environment for our patients and their families.

When I was young, I was always ill. As a child I spent months in Beamount Hospital, missed a lot of school. I didn’t even do a primary certificate. Not having been educated, I always felt a bit shy. But somehow, 16 years ago,I decided
to volunteer at Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services in Harold’s Cross. I’m not sure why I did – but it was one of the best decisions of my life.

I met such lovely people and started to come out of myself. We’d sit with the patients, help the fundraising team with lots of different jobs and preparing for events. After work, the six of us volunteers would go down to the canteen
and some days we’d stay for hours. It was so enriching and enjoyable. We worked on Tuesdays, and everyone called us “the Tuesday girls.” To this day, we still go out together

Our care isn’t just about medical care. It’s social, cultural and spiritual too.

Anna Gaynor House is a purpose-built eighty-nine bedded residential unit providing a safe and comfortable living environment to those with high dependencies who require 24-hour nursing care.

All residents benefit from working with a multidisciplinary team, regular exercise classes and multisensory work such as music and art therapy etc.