Adults with a life-limiting illness
Day Therapy is for anyone aged 18 or over living with a life-limiting condition. That includes cancer, but also heart and lung disease, dementia and progressive neurological illness.
Our services · Community outpatient care
DayTherapyat Foyle Hospice
Living well, together.
A welcoming day at Foyle Hospice for adults living with a life-limiting illness. Specialist nursing, therapies, company and a proper cup of tea, with time out for the people who care for you.
- Free of charge
- Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
- 10:30am to 2pm
- Transport can be arranged
Read this page in short
- Day Therapy is a free service at Foyle Hospice, 61 Culmore Road, Derry~Londonderry.
- It is for adults aged 18 and over who have a life-limiting illness.
- You come on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, from 10:30am to 2pm.
- You get specialist nursing care, therapies, activities, lunch and company.
- Your family or carer gets a break while you are with us.
- Your GP, hospital consultant, specialist nurse or a Foyle Hospice team can refer you.
- We can help with transport if you need it.
- Questions? Call Day Therapy on (028) 7125 3224 or email care@foylehospice.com.
What Day Therapy is
Hospice care is about living as well as you can
The words “hospice” and “palliative care” can feel frightening if you only connect them with the end of life. For most people who come to Day Therapy, the first visit changes that. It is a place to be looked after, to meet others and to keep doing the things that matter to you.
Our specialist palliative care nurses work alongside support staff, therapists and a dedicated team of volunteers. Together they look after the whole person: physical symptoms, emotional wellbeing, social connection and spiritual needs. Care is planned around you, and your family or carers are part of that plan.
Who it is for
Who can come to Day Therapy
Families and carers
Many families are providing care around the clock. While you are with us, the person who looks after you gets a few hours of their own. Carer support is part of what we do.
People across the Western Trust
Foyle Hospice serves the whole Western Health and Social Care Trust area. Day Therapy runs at the hospice in Derry~Londonderry. See where our teams are based.
What to expect
A typical day with us
Day Therapy is a 12-week programme. You attend on your allocated day, usually once a week, and we review how things are going at the end of the twelve weeks. If it is still helping, your place can be extended.
- Getting here
Our minibus, driven by trained staff and volunteers, collects patients who need help with transport. Volunteer drivers also bring people to and from the hospice.
- Arrival and a check-in
A nurse will ask how you have been. If anything needs a closer look, medical and nursing assessment is available on the day as part of our outpatient clinics.
- Therapies and activities
Choose what suits you: a treatment, something creative, a quiet chat or simply the company of others who understand.
- Lunch and refreshments
Volunteers provide light refreshments and snacks. Tell us about any dietary needs and we will take care of them.
- Home by mid-afternoon
The day finishes at 2pm and transport home is arranged for those who need it.
What we offer
Care for the whole person
Specialist support
- A listening ear
- Symptom management and specialist advice
- Emotional and social support
- Advance care planning, in your own time
- Nursing and medical review when needed
- Support for carers
Our team can also refer you to other hospice services, including the Community Specialist Palliative Care Team, Adult Counselling, Healing Hearts and the Inpatient Unit.
Therapies and activities
Offered in a relaxed, informal setting and tailored to each person.
- Art therapy and crafts
- Reflexology
- Massage
- Mindfulness sessions
- Psychotherapy
- Hairdressing
- Manicure and nail care
- Table quiz
Complementary therapy sessions run two days a week for patients, families and carers.
Day Therapy in 2025/26
A year at Day Therapy
Referrals to Day Therapy rose by 40% on the previous year. Behind every number is a person, a family and a day that felt a little lighter.
772visits to Day Therapy
1,006carer support engagements
884emotional and psychological support sessions
535telephone advice calls
26Day Therapy volunteers giving their time every week
Freeto every patient and family, thanks to our community
Figures from the Foyle Hospice Annual Report 2025/26 (April 2025 to March 2026).
Voices of care and community
In their own words
Isabella’s story
“It was just like coming home.”
Isabella Williamson, 92, was once wary of the word hospice. Now Day Therapy gives her a reason to get up in the morning, and the staff, volunteers and other patients feel like family.
Read Isabella’s storyHairdressing, manicure and crafts; I was very depressed when I first attended Day Therapy and now I feel so much better.
Day Therapy patient, 2025/26
I enjoyed the company of others who are in the same position, but it did not dominate the conversation.
Day Therapy patient, 2025/26
This is a valuable asset to the holistic atmosphere of the hospice; we are very grateful for the support.
Family member, 2025/26
Quotes are taken from patient and carer feedback published in the Foyle Hospice Annual Report 2025/26. More stories from patients and families.
Watch
See what hospice care really looks like
Our Myth Buster series answers the questions people are often afraid to ask about hospice care.
Getting started
How to be referred
You cannot refer yourself to Day Therapy, but any of the following people can refer you. If you think it would help, ask them.
- Your General Practitioner (GP)
- Your hospital consultant
- Your clinical nurse specialist
- Another Foyle Hospice service, such as the Inpatient Unit or the Community Specialist Palliative Care Team
For health professionals
Complete the Foyle Hospice referral form and return it to the hospice. If you would like to discuss a referral first, call the Day Therapy team directly on (028) 7125 3224.
While you attend Day Therapy you stay under the care of your own GP and hospital consultant. Our team works closely with primary care colleagues across the Western Trust.
Practical questions
Things people often ask
Do I need to arrange my own transport?
No. We run a minibus with trained staff and volunteers for patients who have difficulty travelling or need assistance, and a team of volunteer drivers who bring people to and from the hospice. Transport covers the Derry~Londonderry area. Tell us when you are referred and we will arrange it.
Does it cost anything?
No. Every Foyle Hospice service, including Day Therapy, is free of charge. It is funded by the generosity of our local community alongside statutory funding.
How long can I attend for?
Day Therapy is a 12-week programme. At the end of the twelve weeks we review how things are going with you and, depending on your needs, your place can be extended.
Should I bring my medication?
Please bring only the medication you need to take during the hours you are with us.
What if I feel unwell between visits?
Contact your GP in the first instance. You remain under the care of your GP and hospital consultant while you attend Day Therapy. Foyle Hospice also offers 24-hour telephone advice on (028) 71 351 010.
What if I have special dietary needs?
Just tell our staff. Volunteers provide light refreshments and snacks during the day and we will cater for your needs.
Is Day Therapy only for people with cancer?
No. It is for adults with any life-limiting illness, including heart and lung disease, dementia and progressive neurological conditions.
Can a family member or carer come with me?
Day Therapy is designed to give families and carers a break from the caring role, so patients attend on their own. Support for carers is part of the service, and complementary therapies are available to families and carers too. If you are unsure, call the team on (028) 7125 3224.
Where we are
Care across the Western Trust
Foyle Hospice supports people across the Western Health and Social Care Trust area. The Inpatient Unit, Day Therapy and our bereavement services are at the hospice on Culmore Road, Derry~Londonderry. Our Community Specialist Palliative Care nurses work in two sectors, so that care reaches people where they live.
- Foyle Hospice, Derry~LondonderryInpatient Unit, Day Therapy, adult counselling and Healing Hearts. 61 Culmore Road, BT48 8JE. Home of our Northern Sector community team.
- Omagh Hospital and Primary Care ComplexBase for our Southern Sector community nurses supporting people at home in the Omagh area.
- South West Acute Hospital, EnniskillenBase for our Southern Sector community nurses supporting people at home across Fermanagh.
Day Therapy transport covers the Derry~Londonderry area. If you live elsewhere in the Western Trust area, our care in your home service may be able to support you.
Other ways we can help
Related services
Together we care
Day Therapy is free because our community keeps it that way
£15 could fund a Day Therapy session. Donations fund the majority of Foyle Hospice services, so if you would like to help, there are many ways to give your time or support.
Day Therapy
Our Day Therapy provides specialist palliative care for patients with life-limiting illnesses. The holistic care is tailored to the needs of the patients, families and their carers. Our team of specially trained, highly skilled Palliative Care Nurses provide compassionate care alongside our support staff and volunteers. This holistic philosophy allows us to create an atmosphere that encompasses the physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs of all of our patients.
Who is this service available to?
The services of Day Therapy are available to patients who have a life-limiting diagnosis.
It provides a respite for families and carers who are often providing 24 hour care for their loved one.
How do I access the service?
Referral to the Inpatient Unit is made through:
- The Patient’s General Practitioner (GP)
- The Hospital Consultant/Palliative Care Team
- Foyle Hospice Specialist Home Care Team
- Foyle Hospice Inpatient Unit
What services are offered?
We offer a wide range of services that are provided by the Nursing Team
and a dedicated team of volunteers.
- Art and Creative Therapies
- Hairdressing
- Nursing Procedures
- Complementary Therapies
- Music Therapies
- Relaxation
- Beauty Treatments
- Support/Listening Ear
- Chiropody
- Support for Carers
Do I need to provide my own transport to and from the Day Therapy?
We operate a bus service with trained members of staff and volunteers for patients who have transport dificulties or require assistance. In addition to this service we have a team of volunteers who provide transport to and from the Hospice.
Day Therapy Leaflet
For more information
Contact the Day Therapy
- (028) 7135 9888
- care@foylehospice.com
Contact Integrative Care Clinic
- care@foylehospice.com
- (028) 7135 1010