Love doesn’t have visiting hours
This Winter, please help us to buy new sleeper chairs so families can be together when it matters most.
We will purchase sleeper chairs to enable family members to stay with their loved ones, providing comfort and reassurance during their stay.
A hospital stay can be very daunting for anyone, but for a patient who is very sick, it can be especially frightening. We know that having a loved one at the bedside can be a huge source of comfort and reassurance, reducing feelings of fear and anxiety for the patient. Having a comfortable bed to sleep in next to the patient allows family members to rest, having a positive impact on their wellbeing too.
However, on most of our wards there are currently no facilities for loved ones to rest or sleep. We want to change that by funding sleeper chairs - comfortable chairs that easily convert into a bed to aid restful sleep.
With your support, we’ll purchase sleeper chairs for our Care of Older People wards, Critical Care wards, Maternity, Cardiology and Respiratory wards.
Lisa’s story
My name is Lisa. In May 2025 my dad, Paul, sadly passed away in one of the Care of Older People wards at Whittington Hospital. He was 82 years old. He was admitted as an emergency suffering with an infection, but he also had severe dementia. We knew it might only be a matter of days before he died. He had one wish that he made very clear to us… He wanted us to stay with him. The thought of dying alone frightened him.
For a whole week, Mum stayed by his bedside in a chair - all day and all night – only leaving his side for some food and the bathroom. I was there most of the time too. I sat in a plastic chair at the foot of Dad’s bed, hunching my legs against the metal bars. When I tried to sleep, I put a pillow against the bars and rested my head there. It was incredibly uncomfortable. We were both so exhausted.
“I’m pleased that we were able to stay with Dad during his final days and honour his wish. I know that having us there provided him with the comfort and reassurance he needed. I know that if Mum had had somewhere more comfortable to rest next to Dad’s bed, Mum would have been much better able to cope after he died.”
On your doorstep. By your side.
“In the final days, a familiar face means everything. For patients facing their last few days, it’s only natural that loved ones want to stay with them for as long as possible.
Families being together at the end is what matters most. They can share moments, hold hands, or simply just be there. For the patient, having a relative by their side helps take away much of the stress and anxiety. I see the peace it brings them”.
Tess, Dementia Nurse Specialist
A caring environment
Research shows that 75% of dementia patients in acute hospitals experience symptoms such as distress, anxiety, agitation, aggression, delusions, hallucinations, paranoia, wandering, depression, apathy, disinhibition, and sleep disturbances.
Having a familiar face at the bedside helps reduce these symptoms, providing comfort and reassurance for both the patient and their loved ones. It helps reduce distress and anxiety, especially in the final days and hours of life, and ensures a more person-centred, compassionate approach to care. It allows families to be present, provide emotional support, and make the most of precious time together.