Our Wellbeing Programme is free if you live in east Kent and you have been diagnosed with a life-shortening illness. It aims to enhance your wellbeing – in mind and body.

Services are also available for carers – be they friends or family – to support them with self-care, too.

If you talk to us sooner, we can do so much more.

Pilgrims Therapy Centres are an important part of the care and support we provide to our patients and their families. Our Therapy Centres offer a range of therapeutic, creative, social and educational groups and activities designed to support you to live well, in both mind and body, for as long as possible.

Our experienced team will work closely with you, and those who are important to you, to help you identify which programmes can help you now and in the future. We will also work alongside your GP and other professionals involved in your care.

Click here to check out our What's On in Wellbeing blog

Pilgrims Therapy Centres are an important part of the care and support we provide to our patients and their families.

Our wellbeing team will work closely with you, and those who are important to you, to help you identify which programmes can help you now and in the future. We will also work alongside your GP and other professionals involved in your care.

Our Therapy Centres offer flexibility to allow you access to the right support at the time you need it most. This may be a therapeutic programme to help you manage your symptoms, a creative activity programme to enhance your wellbeing, a social group giving you the chance to connect with other people and share experiences, or one of our educational programmes to help you in planning and preparing for your future care and treatment.

Click here to learn about our Virtual Therapy Centre

How to access Pilgrims Therapy Centres

You don’t need to be receiving clinical support from our doctors and nurses to access out Therapy Centres. If you have a life-shortening illness and would like to find out more about how our services can support you, please call 01233 504 133.

Our Wellbeing Coordinator will book you a 1-1 appointment with one of our Wellbeing Practitioners, where they will complete a holistic needs assessment with you and make an individualised plan of how we can support you and those close to you.

Alternatively, you can ask your GP or healthcare professional to refer you via our electronic referral form for professionals: pilgrimshospices.org/refer

Therapy Centre groups

Future care planning helps you manage changes in your life, health and care. It is a process that you can start at any time, and come back to when things change. It is easier to start thinking ahead and making plans while you are still quite well.

At Pilgrims Hospices, we want to ensure that every person across East Kent receives care that truly aligns with their personal choices, long before a health crisis occurs.

These one off, monthly run sessions give you an opportunity to ‘Think’ about future care planning in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, and ‘think’ about what you might want to do, to ensure you can live well and have your wishes heard.

Once you have attended a Think session, you have the option to book 1-1 appointment with a Pilgrims Hospice clinician to complete a ReSPECT form, which records personalised recommendations for treatment in a future clinical emergency.

Who is this for: You and a plus one

This group is for anyone who is experiencing fatigue, anxiety or breathlessness.

The group runs for three weeks and is led by our occupational therapists and physiotherapists. Together, they will help you understand your symptoms better and each week support you to explore and practice techniques and strategies that can help you feel more in control, and improve your quality of life.

Who is this for: You and a plus one

The aim of this group is to offer a low-impact exercise programme designed to strengthen your muscles and help you to maintain movement and function so that you can continue with every day activities.

The group is held in our therapy gym in a safe, social and supportive environment.

You can also learn exercises to continue at home after you complete the programme.

Who is this for: You

This physiotherapy-led group, held in the therapy gym, can help you to improve your quality of life and stay active through exercise in a supportive environment. It uses gentle circuit training exercises alongside full body workouts to strengthen your cardiovascular fitness and your stamina. The programme is adapted to your individual needs and capability.

Who is this for: You

This patient support group offers a programme of social, creative and educational activities for you to enjoy in the company of others who are living with life-shortening illnesses.

Our wellbeing practitioners will work with you to identify your individual goals and support you to achieve them so that you can live as well as possible in both body and mind.

Who is this for: You

This group gives people an opportunity to explore creative self-expression. You don’t have to be a great artist, or even have picked up a pencil since school, to come along and discover something new.

Engaging in creativity can help us think more clearly, process emotions and make positive memories.

Our wellbeing practitioners will guide you through a different creative activity each week, but you are also encouraged to bring any ideas that you might want to try.

Who is this for: You and a plus one

Mindfulness is simply the ability to bring all of your awareness to the present moment - so you can focus on just one helpful thing, and not get carried away with unhelpful thoughts and emotions.

In this group, you will practice mindfulness - which is scientifically proven to enhance physical and emotional wellbeing, even at the end of life. During each session, you’ll be guided gently through nourishing relaxations to help you feel calmer and more relaxed. 

Who is this for: You and a plus one

Support for those closest to you

At Pilgrims, we recognise that we are only a small part of your life; those who surround you day to day are an important factor in helping you live well.

It can be difficult for people to recognise that they are a carer; it’s normal to want to help and do as much as you can for the people you love. It is important that if you're supporting someone with a life-shortening illness, you take time to look after yourself, too.

We currently run two groups for you to take time out and identify your own needs.

This informal drop-in support group offers the opportunity to meet others who are caring for a relative or friend with a deteriorating health condition, to share experiences of caring and to develop peer support networks.

Who is this for: Anyone who is supporting someone with a life-shortening illness

Meeting regularly at Pegwell Country Park Nature Reserve (Thanet), Conningbrook Lakes (Ashford) and Toddler’s Cove (Canterbury), this relaxed and easy-paced walking group offers the opportunity for carers to connect, to share and learn from others who have similar experiences to your own, helping to ease feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Walking in nature can be transformative, improving psychological wellbeing, enhancing mood and self-esteem and reducing the emotional and physical experience of stress.

Who is this for: Anyone who is supporting someone with a life-shortening illness

Virtual Groups

Our virtual groups are a great way to feel connected at a time when you might not be able to get out.

We run online groups for both patients and carers, offering support and engagement from the comfort of your own home. You can join from your tablet, PC or your smartphone via Zoom. It's a fantastic opportunity to keep in touch with the Wellbeing team and build new social connections.

Our wellbeing practitioners can support you to access Zoom if you're unsure, so please ask.

Contact us

You can email our team with any questions at [email protected] or call the Pilgrims Hospices Advice Line on 01233 504 133.