Sleep out highlights end of life challenges facing homeless people

But getting access to end of life care is a huge challenge for people experiencing homelessness.

This World Homeless Day (10th October), five members of our team got a glimpse into what life without a place to call home might feel like when they slept rough out in the open for one night.

The staff, who are involved in our Widening Access to Homeless Group, spent the night in the Hospice grounds in Havering-atte-Bower from Saturday evening to Sunday morning.

"We are proud of our extensive Widening Access programme which is ensuring our end of life services are available to all individuals within our community when they need specialist palliative care and support - regardless of their circumstances," Lesley Burrows, Chair, Widening Access Project.

"The purpose of the sleep out was to experience sleeping rough with minimal support and no home comforts or support from home.

"It gave us time to think about how we would manage physically with ongoing pain and discomfort or feeling desperately unwell. For example with advanced disease or disability due to deteriorating health and how we take access to warming actions like a drink or an extra blanket for granted.

"It must be so difficult if there is no end in sight to being homeless, to not have your own space and a secure environment. It would be so mentally demanding and the effect of tiredness and fatigue compound that isolation.

"To be asked a simple, are you ok? would be so meaningful.

"This emotional valuing of each other is so important at all times but essential when life-limiting conditions advance to end of life and significant small gestures make such a difference."

Earlier this year the Hospice secured funding from Hospice UK and the Masonic Charitable Foundation so it could set up the 18-month project to work with local organisations that support homeless people.

So far it has helped organisations and agencies to identify people who may need its end of life care and support services and break down the barriers to accessing services.

Click here to find out more about how you can support your local hospice.