Our vision is to provide the very best care and facilities for young adults with life limiting conditions who use The J's in age-appropriate surroundings.The J's will provide emotional support for the young adults and thier families and carers. Ultimately, there will be medical, nursing and emotional support during the last days of the person's life and bereavement support for families and carers. There is no hope of cure for the young adults the J's will care for, and this will underpin the philosophy and level of care that our services will provide. It will also reaffirm the idea that life, however short, is for living to the best of a person's ability, to have fun, feel good, laugh and be who they want to be.

Our mission is to provide palliative care for young adults with life limiting conditions, to give the best possible quality of adult life, as independently as possible. We will provide this care both in the patients' own homes and in a purpose built hospice.

The population of young adults with life limiting conditions is growing due to improvements in medical care and improved technology. These young adults are normally discharged from children's services by the age of 19 and there are very few dedicated services for young adults. A children's hospice environment may not be suitable for someone who is over 18, but often, adult hospices are not the right environment either. Nationally, it is recognised that there is a lack of age appropriate facilities. It is acknowledged that there is a wide variation in availability of services across the country, in particular access to short break care that is appropriate for young adults.

The J's has been formed in memory of Jonathan Whiffin who was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy at the age of 3 years. Jonathan used children's hospices from the age of 14 to the time he died. Jonathan was a fun-loving, outdoors typical teenager who enjoyed socialising with people of all ages. His greatest love was dolphins and our logo represents this. During his teen years, his mum Denise realised there was a dire need for hospice and respite care once young adults outgrew children's hospices. Whatever their circumstances, young adults have the right to expect equality of access to the physical environment and all other aspects of society.

The J's at Home pioneering service, launched in October 2010, provides hospice and respite care in the comfort of the patient's own home. The J's employ a small team of trained nurses and health care assistants who provide practical nursing care and specialist advice and support. We also have a counsellor, a music therapist, complementary therapists and a chaplain to provide additional care and support. We work closely with the patient's GP, District Nurse and other carers and we can provide a holistic approach for the whole family.   

Milan Parmar with Beverley Barclay. Milan was one of our first patients, and Beverley is our Director of Nursing. Beverley has been in palliative care for 19 years and is leadingThe J's at Home service. For more information about The J's at Home or to contact Beverley directly please call 01245 475474 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The J's Hospice is an emerging hospice, developed through the drive and vision of the local community to see enhanced support for young adults with life limiting conditions. Our aim is to offer all young adults aged 18 to 40 with a life limiting illness in Essex, the choice to receive the care and support that they need in the comfort and security of their own home. The J's Hospice helps young adults with life limiting conditions through the transition from children's to adult services and bridges the gap by providing age appropriate care and support. We are also raising money for our own building which will offer in-patient beds.This will be the only dedicated stand-alone young adult hospice in the East of England. The J's Hospice will provide an uplifting and supportive environment where young people will be encouraged to live life to the full, however short their lives.

The J’s Hospice launched its first young adult group on 2nd April 2011. Eleven young adults came along to the first session and they were joined by The J’s Hospice staff and many volunteers which meant that carers could take some time out for themselves if they wanted to. There were lots of activities on offer including an X Box, complementary therapy, music therapy, art therapy and hand and arm massage. There was also a quiet room available with lovely mood music and lighting.

Since the first group there have been other successful groups which are held at Farleigh Hospice every 6 weeks with various different activities. It allows young adults some time away from carers to socialise withpeople their own age, and allows their parents some quality time together or to do the things that they can’t always do whilst caring for their young adult.

For more information on upcoming dates for the Young Adult Group please call The J’s Hospice on 01245 475474 and ask for Katherine Barrett.

Milan Parmar from Southend was one of the first patients with The J's Hospice.  He passed away in late 2010 in his own home, surrounded by his loving family.  His mother Trusha Parmar has given us permission to use his story.

Milan had severe cerebral palsy and needed 24 hour care. He defied all the odds and medical opinion by living to 23 years old.

At 19 years old, patients like Milan are too old for children's hospice care. So what happens to them then?

Due to better treatment, these adults are living longer, yet there is national recognition that the care for this age group is lacking. Adult hospices are available and do a fantastic work in terms of providing end of life symptom care. However, they may not be the right environment for someone like Milan, a young adult who was alert, funny, lively and affectionate, and who loved spending time with his sister who was close to his own age.

Milan's family always wanted to provide the very best care for him and that included encouraging him to make choices about his care and treatment. That's where the J's@Home service stepped in to help.

"I know I can trust the J's Hospice with Milan's care. I can talk to Bev whenever I need her and I have quick access to make decisions." Trush Parmar, Milan's Mum.

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The J's Hospice provides care and support to young adults with life limiting conditions. The Hospice is registered with the Care Quality Commission. The J's team will offer medical, psychosocial, educational and spiritual care within an age appropriate environment. The young people will always be involved in making informed decisions and choices regarding their treatment.

Life limiting conditions:

1. Life threatening conditions for which curative treatment may be feasible but can fail. Palliative care may be necessary during periods of prognostic uncertainty and when treatment fails. Eg. Cancer, irreversible organ failure of heart, liver, kidney.

2. Conditions where there may be long periods of intensive treatment aimed at prolonging life and allowing participation in normal childhood activities, but premature death is still possible. Eg. Cystic fibrosis.

3. Progressive conditions without curative treatment options, where treatment is exclusively palliative and may commonly extent over many years. Eg. Batten's disease, muscular dystrophy, mucopolysaccharidosis.

4. Irreversible but non-progressive conditions with complex healthcare needs leading to complications and likelihood of premature death. Eg. Severe multiple disabilities including severe cerebral palsy.