ARRIVING at a hospice can be a daunting experience for most people.

Whether admitted themselves, or visiting a close family member or friend, many visitors carry with them a preconception of it as a dark and depressing place.

But those who have visited Bury Hospice can attest to the fact that the initial expectation could not be further from the reality.

Hospice Care Month is all about improving understanding of the work hospices carry out, and dispelling the myths that surround them.

“Hospices are seen as a place where sad things happen and people come to die, but I always say they are more about life than death,” explained Paul Fennelly, head of fundraising at the hospice, in Rochdale Old Road.

“We want people to understand that people should come here because they will get the best possible, care, support and advice.

“It is not a case of coming here and never going home again. More than 50 per cent of patients admitted for the first time for symptom management are allowed to go home again.”

Part of the misunderstanding arises from a lack of awareness of what goes on at a hospice, according to Eloise Burke, the head of clinical services at Bury Hospice.

She added: “As a society, we do not like to think about death and dying. It is something we will deal with when we get there.”

The main aim of the hospice movement is to deliver medical care to people living with an incurable illness. However, underpinning that is a focus on maximising the quality of time an individual has left.

“We always say that while people are in here, they should remain who they are,” said Ms Burke. “They go out for family occasions, and we have family parties here.

“The other week, nurses instigated a date night for a couple. That’s a little thing, but it gives people a normal experience and that is what we want people to have.

“The NHS is all about fixing and getting people out of beds, but here it is all about the person and how they are feeling.”

Ms Burke’s mother was admitted to the hospice last year and she says that, despite working there for 14 years, it was only then that she truly began to appreciate the effects of the care and support provided to families.

“I saw it from a completely different perspective,” she said. “My mum was very distressed when she arrived, but the skills and experience of the nurses and doctors here were just fantastic.

“There are lot of questions and concerns when a person is coming to the end of their life, but having someone who has the time to sit and talk those over can be such a relief.”

As well as providing care for inpatients, the hospice also houses a day-patient facility, which supports people remaining in their own home, but who visit the hospice for social interaction and symptom management.

Care also extends beyond patients to family members and close friends. Bury Hospice does so by accommodating them overnight, as well as offering a range of support services,

In the past year, the hospice has also started offering a bereavement support group.

Chris Green, the family bereavement support co-ordinator, said: “Losing a significant family member can have long-lasting effects on a person, and coming to a group where people have had a similar experience can be really helpful. Some people would rather not do one-to-one support, but would happily go for a walk with a group to take the pressure off.”

The main message is that hospices are a place of care and support, and should not be feared. And the movement’s main purpose is perhaps most aptly summed up by nurse Emma Ritchie, who said: “Saving lives is one thing but if I can give someone a dignified death, it is one of the greatest gift. If you don’t get that right, you can never say sorry, and the family has got to live with that forever.”