To give something back – Thalia

Where my journey began

'Before joining Dorothy House I worked on a nursing ward where patients were often in the final stage of their lives. I decided I wanted to specialise in palliative and end of life care and am so glad I found the role here. I absolutely love it; it’s the best decision I ever made. I felt a personal connection with Dorothy House because my Nan was cared for by them. The support we received was amazing and I wanted to be able to give something back.

I’ve been working with Dorothy House for about nine months now. Every day is different, you’re always learning which is amazing. Care requirements vary for every patient and the support needed by the family can be very different. Being involved in the last part of a patient’s life is so personal. How you make that time special for them and their families is what I really enjoy.'

Growth through training and support

'I feel so supported by the training. Compared to where I’ve worked before the training process is very different. You’re given the time to do it at home or you can come in to Dorothy House and use their facilities. There’s also the in-house training which is great because you get to come together as a group, talk and learn about colleagues’ experiences.

When I first started as a Hospice at Home carer I wondered how I was ever going to feel comfortable and confident in such a personal role. But with the support of Dorothy House and my colleagues I built up the confidence I needed. Someone’s always at the end of the phone if you’re out in the community. When I haven’t known what to do I’ve just made a call and they’ve helped me straightaway.'