Get to know Chris Kilford - our Forget Me Not Admiral Nurse!

Each of our teams hold a vital piece of the puzzle in making up Hospice Isle of Man. Here, we get to know Chris Kilford from our Forget Me Not Admiral Nurses Team a bit better!

What’s your role?
My role as a band 6 Admiral Nurse is to support the family and carers of people living with dementia. I also support the person living with dementia by providing reassurances and in some cases discussing their thoughts and feelings around their condition. I also provide post bereavement support to the carers on my caseload.

How long have you been at Hospice?
I started working at Hospice August 2019. During COVID, I moved to the Hospice at Home service which as it was community based. I started work with the Admiral Nurse team in 2021, and I knew that this was the ideal role for me, as throughout my career my passion has always been dementia care.

What does a day look like in your role?
I start by changing into uniform, logging in, and checking the weekly whiteboard, emails (both mine and the service’s), and EMIS for any urgent updates or new referrals. On Mondays, I attend the community meeting in the CNS office and prepare for the YTYP group. Tuesdays include attending the MDT. If I have concerns about any carers or people living with dementia, I check EMIS and Rio for updates to see if extra support or visits are needed. I then prepare for the day’s visits. We often have joint meetings with partner services to ensure best practice through collaboration. On Wednesdays and Thursdays, I usually attend the Western and Northern Wellbeing Partnership meetings.

What’s your favourite thing about working at Hospice?
I have enjoyed all my experiences of working in Hospice but must say my favourite has to be my current role as an Admiral nurse. I have always been fanatical about ensuring the best possible care for people living with dementia through out my many years of being a nurse. So, to have such a role where I can make that difference and see how I am changing people’s lives in the later stages of the condition is so satisfying.

Share a highlight story or a favourite memory from your time at Hospice.
That’s a tough one – there have been so many. One that stands out involved two siblings caring for their father at home. He attended a day centre during the week, but they supported him every morning and evening. One visit followed a particularly distressing night for them. I reached out to colleagues across services and arranged emergency respite/assessment for their father that same afternoon. A few visits later, they told me their father had moved into a nursing home. They could now visit as family, not carers. They said, “We’ve even taken up running again – getting back to fitness both physically and mentally – and it’s all thanks to you.” When I asked if they needed further support, they said, “We think we’ll be alright now.” I felt so grateful to have helped them reach that point.