"Jacksplace is like one big family."
We recently spoke to a group of young adults that regularly visit Jacksplace about the relationships, bonds and friendships they have at the hospice, and what this means to them. They wanted to share their thoughts for anyone that’s considering coming to Jacksplace for the first time.
They said:
At Jacksplace, we have time. Time to get to know each other, time to get to know the staff, time to make friends, time to learn to trust each other. We are listened to, we are cared for and we are understood.
“People here are so used to our disabilities; they know how to care for us.”
I like Jacksplace because they don’t treat you like kids and they don’t treat you like you’ve got a disability. They treat you like one of their own.
There are so many caring people here. We have skilled nurses and carers. We have the Play and Activities Team, who host brilliant activities unique to our interests and abilities, and are a listening ear and shoulder to cry on. And we have all of the other teams – the housekeeping team, the catering team and so on, who take good care of us.
But most of all, we get to meet people in similar situations and make friends.
It’s hard to make friends anywhere else. It’s really good to be with people going through similar things and to give each other advice and be there for each other.
Play and Activities Team Leader, Claire Potterton, also spoke to us about the importance of socialising at Jacksplace.
When young adults visit Jacksplace, they can socialise, play games, have fun and just be themselves. They are in a safe environment and can chat with their friends and staff about any worries or concerns they might have, perhaps if someone’s health is deteriorating, or it could simply be that they have some new equipment to talk about.
Jacksplace gives them the opportunity to meet up with people who have similar experiences, share how they feel and perhaps talk about things that they can’t talk about with their family or school friends.
At Jacksplace, we’re proud to provide a welcoming environment where young adults can form meaningful friendships and build a strong support network.