About Us

Our Mission

To provide accessible, excellent holistic palliative care to all residents of Pembrokeshire diagnosed with a life-limiting illness, in a homely, clean and professional place; catering to the individual needs of clients, whatever they may be.

To be a place of respite that offers a safe place to share all worries and to let go of anxieties albeit briefly, and to benefit from the many skills and expertise the Shalom staff has to offer. Professional staff and volunteers support both clients and their families throughout their journey, often making a real difference by providing a haven of care and nurture.

To support relatives as they provide care to their loved ones and ultimately to support them through bereavement.

- To provide day care and respite to patients and carers, ultimately to reduce/prevent acute or unplanned hospital admissions.

- To enable patients to manage their diagnosis to do the things that matter to them and to make their lives more comfortable than they would otherwise have been.

- To work in partnership with other providers of palliative care to enable adult patients to manage their condition and remain at home until end of life, should they wish.

Our Story

The Charity was set up in 1997 with the bequest of a house on Nun Street, St Davids. After a significant fundraising effort, the house was adapted in line with recommendations for a Hospice. Shalom House opened today patients on 23 November 2007. From the outset, specialist palliative support has been offered to patients and their relatives. Over the years, this has included inpatient care, respite care and daycare. Shalom House is a full member of Hospice UK and Hospice Cymru. Financial constraints have led to a refocusing of activity on day-care and specialist interest days to support as many patients as possible in a flexible and beneficial way.

Model of Care

Shalom House has developed to offer care to three distinct groups of patients:

For those who have been diagnosed with a potentially life-threatening illness, who may have received radical surgery, followed by chemotherapy/radiotherapy.

Benefit from visiting a place where they can:

Share their fears
Manage their symptoms
Be given the confidence to resume their lives, often returning to work after their treatment

These patients often fall into a younger age group.

For those who have been diagnosed with a life-limiting illness with a relatively long prognosis.

Benefit from visiting a place where they can:

Share their anxieties
Express their wishes for the future
Be given the confidence to move forward and to live their lives as fully as possible

Benefit carers who may plan their own respite for the day, confident that their loved ones are in a safe and beneficial place.

For those who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness who are being cared for at home.

Both patients and carers benefit from respite, which may help, for example to:

Offer them time to share their cares and anxieties
Help with pain control and symptom management
Stimulate a patient’s appetite
Improve their general wellbeing

Many of these patients will have expressed a wish to die at home and, working together with our partners, we do whatever we can to support them and their families to achieve their wish.

Feedback from the overwhelming majority of our patients indicates that one of the greatest benefits of our service is the sharing of experience with others similarly affected, together with the practical and emotional support they receive from Shalom House staff to combat the social isolation which many feel.