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Children and young people supported by Jersey Hospice Care have been making use of a newly-fitted sensory room, thanks to a generous donation from Peter and Ann Paxton.
In 2020 the nurse-led service which cares for children and young people with a life-limiting condition at Hospice recognised that a dedicated sensory room could provide huge benefit to the patients and families they support. The charity was delighted to work in partnership with Peter and Ann Paxton to bring the project to life.
The sensory room, named the Rainbow Room, is fitted with soft play mats and includes bubble tubes, fibre optic lights, themed projections and an infinity sensory panel that encourages interaction, visual tracking and an understanding of cause and effect. It has created a safe space and comfortable environment for children and young people with a life-limiting or life-threatening condition to relax, rest and play. They can make their own choices and take control of the environment. It can also enrich their learning and language development.
Peter and Ann Paxton, who funded the specialised sensory equipment for the Rainbow Room, said: “Visiting the room up and running was more special than we expected. We were able to pop in while it was being used and we felt quite lost for words seeing just how fantastic it is with everything in place and being put to good use. It is clear how valuable both the nursing care provided and this facility is, not just for children and young people, but their families too. It gives the parents some respite from the daily care of their child.”
Pictured: Peter and Ann Paxton
Alongside the sensory experiences now available, respite sessions offer play, relaxation, music, art and adaptive technology, giving children and young people the chance to escape their daily routines, be creative and control something for themselves. Each activity is tailored to the individual, alongside meeting their nursing needs.
Mike Palfreman, Chief Executive at Jersey Hospice Care, said: “As we endeavour to develop our service to meet the needs of families in our community, we are hugely grateful to generous donors who choose to support us and fund projects such as this. With the sensory room up and running for a few months now it has been wonderful to see just how much of a positive impact the facility is having on the children and young people we care for – our sincere thanks go to Peter and Ann for making this happen.”
