Care Services
More than just a Hospice
Hospice Marlborough provides compassionate, high-quality, specialist palliative care services for individuals of all ages facing life-limiting illnesses. We offer support to patients, their whānau, and caregivers throughout their illness, end-of-life journey, and bereavement.
Our care approach is holistic and as a collective effort, our highly skilled team focus not only on physical symptoms but also social, emotional, and spiritual needs. Tailored to each patient and their whānau, our services are accessible across Marlborough in homes, aged-care facilities, hospitals, and our purpose-built hospice inpatient unit.
Over the past year Hospice Marlborough has supported 1171 patients with specialist palliative care services. Early connection with patients & whānau enables specialist consultations to clarify patient needs, wants, & wishes. Building relationships early ensures wellbeing entitlements are understood, with difficult conversations facilitated by qualified & skilled Hospice Marlborough staff.
Although our services are free, funding is necessary for us to deliver our services. We currently receive just over 50% of our funding from Te Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand) relying on annual fundraising for the shortfall. We are grateful for the support of corporate sponsors, the community, and our Hospice Shops, so we can continue delivering vital palliative care across our region.
In Community Care
The Community Care team at Hospice deliver specialist palliative care services in your home.
The dedicated Community care team at Hospice Marlborough provides specialized palliative care in the comfort of your own home. Collaborating closely with you, your family, whānau, and other healthcare providers, our compassionate and highly skilled team create personalized care plans tailored to your specific needs.
Our team of expert nurses and allied healthcare professionals will make home visits as required, adjusting the frequency based on your condition. Your primary care physician will continue to be your main medical contact in the community, and we will coordinate closely with them to ensure your palliative care requirements are fully addressed.
During home visits, a clinical team member conducts a thorough assessment of your needs, engaging in discussions about your goals and preferences. Operating as a cohesive team, we can also arrange additional support from physicians and volunteers as necessary.
For companionship, respite care, or assistance with errands or appointments, we also have family support volunteers available. If you believe a family support volunteer would be beneficial, kindly discuss this with your community nurse.
Rest assured, medical, nursing advice, and support are accessible 24/7. We also offer specialized equipment, subject to availability, with your clinical team evaluating and arranging for any needed equipment.
Inpatient Care
The Hospice Marlborough Inpatient Unit (IPU) opened in November 2003 and has 4 single rooms for patients under the Hospice service who require specialist palliative care input for complex symptom management, assessment and end-of-life care, that cannot be managed at home.
The IPU is not a long-term care facility. If required, our team will work with you and your whānau to ensure a smooth transition home or to an alternative care facility. Our care will continue in the community on discharge.
Each of our IPU rooms are single occupancy and have an ensuite bathroom, smart tv, wardrobe, armchairs, and a private patio that looks out to our beautiful gardens. We also have a hydrotherapy bath and several quiet spaces for whānau and visitors.
Our inpatient unit is staffed by a dedicated team of health professionals including Doctors, Nurse Practioner (NP), Registered Nurses, and Health Care Assistants. Daily check-ups are conducted by the team and there is 24/7 access to an on-call Hospice Doctor or NP. As an inpatient there is access to allied health staff services.
If you’d like to have a well-behaved pet visit, kindly consult with our team. Additionally, we have a therapy dog who regularly visits and our onsite hospice cat Lexie who likes to welcome all visitors.
A range of patient meals are kindly donated by one of our local partners, Chateau Marlborough otherwise individualised meals can be discussed with staff.
- Day and night clothes (there is a shared laundry (washer and dryer) available to patients).
- Toiletries
- Your medications
- Any special food or drink
We encourage our patients to bring along anything that will make them feel more at home during their stay. You may want to consider bringing: a special pillow or blanket, photographs, music.
We have CD players available, and every room has a Smart TV.
Visitor hours are flexible, and our Inpatient facility offers the option for whānau to stay onsite, providing support during the final stages of their loved one’s journey.
Our family support team are also available to assist whānau during a stay and bereavement up to a year after the loss of a loved one.
Off street carparking is available on location within the visitor carpark at Hospice Marlborough, and there are plenty of spaces within the hospital grounds at the back of hospice for any overflow.
Other Services and Caregiver Resources
Hospice Marlborough is also able to organise a number of other services for our patients onsite including a hairdresser or a massage therapist. If you would like to learn more, please discuss with your nurse.
We recognise, as whānau caring for your family member you matter. Our team are here to support you as you navigate this journey.
A caring explanation of the dying process for patients and family.
Our services and resources are designed to support people of all ages and backgrounds in finding ways to cope with their feelings, navigate through their grief, and ultimately work towards achieving and maintaining wellbeing.
We do this by providing the tools and strategies to build resilience and strengthen connections. Children in particular can often grapple with grief in their unique and evolving ways, as they navigate complex emotions, seek understanding, and adapt to the profound changes brought about by loss.
In the words of a client “I know I am becoming stronger, and I continue to be thankful for the help and support you have given me”.
Here we provide book recommendation guides to assist all on this healing journey and to help children navigate the complex emotions of loss and grief.
Click here to download our ‘Grief and Loss Books for Children’ recommendations
Click here to download our ‘Grief and Loss Books for Adults’ recommendations
Click here to download a Te Reo Māori activity book for children
Kenzie’s Gift supports the mental health of tamariki/children and mātātahi/young people affected by serious illness or grief within the whānau. This is an excellent NZ website here to make sure that no young Kiwi faces serious illness or grief alone.
Kenzie’s Gift does this by providing 1-on-1 therapy with registered mental health professionals and grief and serious illness support kits and they also offer extensive online resources about serious illness and grief.
Griefity is a new organisation with a very specific mission: to make a difference for those experiencing grief and loss. Offering Online Grief Support, the site helps make a difference for people experiencing loss.
Griefity is an online grief support platform that offers free grief support resources developed and recommended by people who’ve experienced loss and bereavement and is available online, in your own time.
Since 2009, Grief Centre has supported all individuals and whānau living through loss, their mission is to support every person, regardless of financial circumstance, through their individual loss and grief journey.
Their services include:
- Counselling
- support groups
- loss and grief resources
- bereavement support calls
- community workshops
- professional supervision
- training for community workers and professionals who are working with all forms of loss, trauma and grief.
This series is for New Zealand family carers who are faced with caring for a loved one who is dying.
Developed by the specialist palliative team at Otago Community Hospice and supported by Hospice New Zealand, the series provides reliable palliative advice and information for carers who may find themselves out of their depth caring for someone nearing end of life.
Available to listen to on Spotify, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts & Apple Podcasts.
Series Content:
Ep 1: Carers – How to Keep Yourself Well
EP 2: Small and Tasty – Tempting Someone to Eat
Ep 3: Pills and Potions – Managing the Meds
Ep 4: Grief and Loss
Ep 5: Carer and Patient Fatigue
Ep 6: Rest, Relax, Sleep
Ep 7: What to Expect at End of Life
Ep 8: Advance Care Planning
Ep 9: What does Grief look like?
Ep 10: Finding Meaning – The Importance of Self
Ep 11: Breathlessness
Ep 12: Different forms of Grief and some helpful tools.
Ep 13: Myths around Morphine and other Meds
Ep 14: Legal Matters
Ep 15: Funeral Planning
Ep 16: Guided Relaxation Technique
Ep 17: Guided Relaxation and Visualisation
Ending Life Well was produced by Denise van Aalst, a palliative specialist nurse with over 20 years’ experience.
Family Support Services
Specialist Health professionals, also known as Family Support Services, can be available at Hospice Marlborough, and they work as an interdisciplinary team with our nurses and doctors. These health professionals include Social Work, Spiritual and Cultural Support, and Bereavement Support.
To learn more about Allied Health Services and Professionals in New Zealand, visit www.alliedhealth.org.nz
Kei aku nui, kei aku rahi, tēnā koutou katoa
Ko Tongariro te Maunga
Ko Taupō-nui-a-Tia te Moana
Ko Ngāti Tūwharetoa te Iwi
Ko Ngāti Karauia te Hapū
Ko Te Arawa te Waka
Ko Te Heuheu Te Tangata
He uri hoki ahau nō Ngāti Kuia, Rangitāne, Ngāti Apa Ki Te Ra Tō, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Rangi me Te Ātihaunui a Pāpārangi
Ko Lyn Bird tōkū ingoa
No reira
Tēnā koutou Tēnā koutou Tēnā koutou Katoa
Our experienced kaiawhina Lyn BIrd has worked in the health sector for over 50 years and is available to patients or anyone in the whānau who would like cultural support. She can meet either at your home, at our hospice Inpatient unit, on the marae or in another setting.
Patients may wish to talk about cultural and spiritual needs; our kaiawhina may be able to offer guidance around tikanga Māori (cultural practices), planning for future care and tangi hanga (funeral) and can also help with whānau hui (meetings), karakia (prayer), waiata (song), cultural advice and support and can also provide linkages between whānau and community groups, marae, ministers and kaumatua.
Click here to download guide to learn more about Hospice Care / Ngā manaaki a te hospice (English and Te reo Māori)
Social workers provide care, advice, and support to people with personal or social problems.
The social workers at Hospice Marlborough can provide emotional support to both individuals and to their whānau. They have specialist experience in working with those facing a life-limiting illness. They are also experienced in providing practical support including benefit or pension queries, housing or residential care options, legal matters such as power of attorney and making a will, advanced care planning, and funeral planning.
Bereavement care from Hospice Marlborough includes individual support, bereavement groups, volunteer visitors and an annual memorial service. Remember, a chat or a visit is only a phone call away.
The bereavement service is part of the Hospice Marlborough family support team. Bereavement support can offer short term specialist care with referrals made to other community agencies if longer term support is required.
Whanau & Patient Stories
Everyone’s journey with hospice as they approach the end of their life is unique. People value different things and have different concerns, as they do in everyday life.
There are many aspects to hospice palliative care – the clinical support and the psychosocial support, spiritual care, and the cultural aspects of end of life. People may access all the services a hospice has to offer – or just what is required by them and their family.
It’s important to remember that a large part of the support hospice provides is to family and loved ones after their person has died, in the form of ongoing bereavement support.
To help people understand the way in which hospice can help and how the services can be used, Hospice NZ has spoken with Catherine and Ray, Anna and Jenny about their different experiences of hospice.