Zest provides residential nurse-led days & short break care for young adults living with incurable illness, aged 18 upwards.
The Zest Short Break service was piloted in 2019-2020 and is now available to support young adults 18 years and upwards who live in Suffolk and Great Yarmouth & Waveney, on weekends.
Zest Days take place every Friday at St Elizabeth Hospice’s Community Care Unit from 10am-4pm.
Zest Days are dedicated to Zest young adults aged 18 upwards, offering nurse-led specialist day service provision.
There are planned and spontaneous inclusive activities on Zest Days. In the past, we have had visits from dog companies, Ipswich Town Football Club, Suffolk Police, professional musicians and themed days to tie in with awareness weeks and national events.
Attendance options include the provision of a one to one Zest Care Assistant, if required. You can attend weekly, fortnightly or monthly.
What you can expect…
Zest Short Breaks allows young adult patients to take some time out from their daily routine to have fun and socialise, whilst providing vital respite for their families.
We will help you to plan your short break activities, which can include outings out into the community.
Based at our Community Care Unit in Ipswich, you will have access to:
Our dedicated Zest team will get to know you and your care needs to enable you to feel supported to have a fun and safe stay with us.
Some people prefer to bring their own carers. If your carers join, there is sleeping space available so they can remain with you for the duration of your stay.
Up to three young adult patients can stay together at the same time if suitable.
Short Breaks are usually for two nights on the weekend from Friday to Sunday.
Patients and their carers are responsible for ensuring all care needs, medication and support is pre-arranged with the team prior to the break.
All community arrangements currently in place will remain the same during the short break stay.
We support the learning and development of student clinicians.
They are monitored by registered professionals.
Your feedback may be beneficial to their ongoing learning.
If you would prefer not to have a student involved in your care, please alert a member of the team.
All patients are entitled to have a chaperone present during any consultation, examination, or procedure.
If you would like a chaperone, please ask a member of staff.
In accordance with our chaperone policy, clinicians may advise patients that a chaperone is necessary during any examination; this is to support both the clinician and you, the patient.
I mainly use Zest Short Breaks, and I can honestly say I have enjoyed every visit.
We do a range of fun things: karaoke and trips out, enjoying movie nights, takeaways and playing games.
We even came out to support the hospice’s big fundraising event, the Midnight Walk, which was brilliant to see.
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