05/09/2026
๐๐ก๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ค๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ ๐๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ข๐๐?
Thereโs much more to housekeeping at Willow Wood Hospice than meets the eye. Over the course of a week, Julie Hafford kept a diary of her daily duties...
If youโd asked me years ago what working in housekeeping at a hospice would be like, I donโt think I could ever have pictured this. Yes, I start early โ Iโm usually in by 7am โ and of course thereโs plenty of cleaning to be done. But thereโs so much more to it than people might think.
My day often begins with the laundry, getting things washed, folded and ready to go. Other times Iโll be deep into cleaning one of the patient rooms on the Inpatient Unit, making sure everything is fresh, calm and comfortable. Those rooms really matter. Theyโre someoneโs space at a very important time, and I take a lot of pride in making them feel just right.
What surprises people is how much youโre part of the wider hospice life. Iโm always stopping to say good morning, having a quick chat, or helping someone find where they need to go. Visitors are often a bit unsure when they arrive, and if I can put them at ease or point them in the right direction, that feels just as important as any cleaning job.
Some days Iโll be upstairs doing offices, kitchens and toilets, other days Iโm working alongside my colleagues covering reception areas, family rooms and quiet spaces. Weโre a small team, so we all help each other out.
Then there are moments you donโt expect at all. Sitting with someone for a few minutes because they need company. Walking a worried relative to a patientโs room. Keeping an eye out and noticing when someone might need a bit of extra support.
By the end of the week Iโve cleaned everything from bedrooms and therapy rooms to stairways and shared spaces, but itโs the people that stay with me. The smiles, the thank-yous, the quiet conversations in the corridor.
Itโs a physical job and those early starts can be hard, but itโs also incredibly rewarding. Being part of this hospice means knowing that what I do helps create a safe, peaceful place for patients and families when they need it most. Thatโs something Iโm really proud of.
