Poole Care Home Resident’s Special Reunion with Hospital Colleagues

A care home resident returned to her former workplace for an ‘emotional’ reunion with her colleagues at Poole Hospital.

Pam, who lives in Elizabeth House on Dolbery Road South in Poole revisited the cardiology department at Poole Hospital, where she worked for 13 years. She was joined by her husband, Ian, alongside the Elizabeth House team, to meet up with her colleagues, Athena and Karen, who donned the old uniform that Pam would have worn before retiring.

Pam joined the administration team at Poole Hospital in 2000, first in outpatients before moving to the cardio-respiratory department. After developing an interest in their work, she applied for an Assistant Technical Officer (ATO) role in 2003.

They looked around Pam’s former clinic room, where she carried out ECGs on thousands of patients during her 13 years at the hospital. She also worked on the wards, performing ECGs and fitting heart monitors for patients. During the reunion, Athena and Karen talked Pam through the procedure for setting up an ECG, bringing back memories of her time working in the department.

Ian said: “It was very emotional seeing Athena and Karen again as they welcomed Pam back to the hospital. Pam started her role fairly late in life aged 49 and wished she had taken this step much sooner. It was a job she loved and her ability to put patients at ease was quickly recognised, as she would go out of her way to help patients and her colleagues.”

The special visit was arranged as part of Elizabeth House’s ‘Make a Wish’ initiative. It encourages residents to share hobbies and passions they once enjoyed but are now unable to pursue without the home’s support. The care home team then works to bring the special wish to life.

Donna Moss, Home Manager at Elizabeth House, said: “It was a pleasure to support Pam in returning to Poole Hospital to reunite with Athena and Karen, who were so pleased to see her. It was lovely to hear them sharing stories about her time there. At Elizabeth House, we love to fulfil the wishes of our residents, through the care we provide and by helping them to reconnect with the people and places that are important to them.”