Mum's admission to ACCORD in April 2023, came as a relief after being told she might not make it to hospice was hard to hear. ACCORD was her first choice, and we both knew it was the best place for her to be. As soon as she arrived, her spirits lifted. Being able to have our dog Luna with us brought her immense joy, Luna could not only be in her room but could also be snuggled up with her on the bed. Mum felt safe and cared for by the staff from day one and most importantly she felt listened too.

All the staff took time to listen to what mum was saying as by this point she had almost lost her voice but everyone made sure they were close enough to actually hear what she was trying to say. Her room was so bright and felt very homely and we knew it was the right setting for her to relax. Everyone is treated as an individual family member, and they respect all their patient’s needs. The medical staff always took time to explain the decisions they made and why.

Mum was a nurse her whole working life and she did not always make it easy for the staff. Everyone was so patient with her, regularly deal with her frustration and always treated her with so much respect and their sense of humour was exceptional. I always knew they genuinely cared about her comfort and well-being, even if she was trying to tell them she knew better!

Mum had a lot of history with the area ACCORD is built on as she did her original fever nurse training at Hawkhead Hospital and then returned where she got her Sisters job, she also met my dad there when he was a patient and was Sister in charge of the Gynaecology ward when the hospital closed. A few of the nurses who attended to mum said how they loved hearing her stories of the good old days of nursing and her experiences at Hawkhead. She was delighted they took the time to listen to her.

While I was extremely grateful to friends who visited mum either alone or with me, for the most part it was just me & Luna.

Everyone at ACCORD made us feel like part of their family.

Luna was especially well looked after and crashed staff lunch time most days as she knew she could get some treats. I was always kept informed of mum's progress and they never made me feel bad about not being there all the time as mum didn't always want me around.
I would be a totally different person today if mum had died in hospital.

Thankfully we had those 5 months in ACCORD where she was relaxed, cared for and always treated with love and dignity. Her stay in ACCORD allowed me time to come to terms with her death and I have been able to move on with my life in a positive manner. The care and support of ACCORD during that time was life changing for me and I will be forever grateful.