Stories for Life
Everyone has a story to tell and people under the care of Saint Francis Hospice are being offered the chance to record their life stories.
Volunteers Skip Atkins and Sally Hunter and Maria Parker, who is an administrator with the therapies team, have received special training from the charity Stories for Life so they can listen and record personal accounts from service users and their loved ones.
“Recounting your life experiences can unlock memories which may have been forgotten and give you an opportunity to share these with family and loved ones in a unique way,” said Sally.
“Recording special messages is also part of what we provide. We work with people to make this a wonderful experience.”
Stories for Life, which was previously named Hospice Biographers, has worked with up to 60 hospices across the country and provide all the training.
Skip, Sally and Maria, are available to record people’s stories when they attend therapy sessions at Pemberton Place, are staying on the ward or in their homes.
“It’s the best job in the world,” said Skip. “For us, it is an uplifting experience and so rewarding as you connect with someone and live through their life."
The audio recordings, which can take place at the hospice or at home, are confidential and the hospice gives everyone two USBs to keep free of charge.
David, who regularly attends therapy support groups in Pemberton Place, said, said, “I had my Life Story and my message to my grandchildren and my children recorded by Skip.
“I found it a real eye opener to go through what had happened in my life and the things I wanted to pass on to my children, and in particular to the grandchildren, thinking in the future that I will not be there at all to help them over the trials and tribulations they may find in their lives in the future.
“I found I was able to speak on the recording and pass on my knowledge and experience and hopefully a little help for them when they come across the experiences I had when I was in my teens, my 20s, and in my early life and the way that I got over those periods on trials and tribulations.”
The service is only available to people under the care of the hospice. Referrals can be made by any of the hospice teams using the internal referral form.
