Hibiscus Hospice Services

Services to patients

• Regular contact with and visits by the Hospice nurses
• Emergency 24 hour, 7 day a week telephone support from the Hospice nursing team
• Access to the Hospice Medical Director via the nursing team
• Access to North Shore Hospice for symptom management when appropriate
• When appropriate, volunteer transport to Hospice, hospital and doctors appointments
• Volunteer Homecare visitors to relieve the carers and provide companionship
• Equipment loan, e.g. wheelchairs, electric beds (as assessed by the nursing team)
• Night sitting when appropriate
• Non-denominational spiritual support
• ‘Daybreak’ – a weekly patient support group
• Aromatherapy / Massage by trained therapists
• Recording life stories either written or by video
• Loan of a video recorder to record those precious memories
• Cultural support
• Resource library

Introducing Our Family Support Team…

At Hibiscus Hospice we have a Family Support Team which includes a Chaplain, a Counsellor and a Social Worker who are available to provide support to you and your family/whanau.

The Family Support Team can only provide care for you if you agree, and you can change your mind about this at any stage. 

You can expect to receive a professional, friendly and respectful service.  Members of the Family Support team each has professional responsibilities which they will explain fully to you, things like maintaining confidentiality of information shared by you within the clinical team here at Hibiscus Hospice.  Sometimes if you or someone is at risk, other outside expertise may be required but you the decision will be made with you whenever possible.

Introducing our Family Support Chaplain.

The Chaplain offers interdenominational spiritual guidance and support. The Chaplain is available for visits to you at home, family gatherings, and Services organised by the Hospice. Whatever your belief, this service is available to you.

Introducing our Family Support Counsellor.

Professional help can be sought from a Counsellor who will visit your home by appointment.  This is usually discussed with the nurses who will make a referral to the Counsellor. The Counsellor can be contacted also by family members who seek support.

Our Counsellor is registered under the New Zealand Association of Counsellors and abides by their Code of Ethics. They receive regular clinical supervision as part of the role and this is a requirement of the NZAC.

The role of the Counsellor is to:

• Offer one to one counselling to support you
• Help explain the grief process and the unknown journey
• Support the family/whanau where there is a need
• Facilitate group sessions for Carers, and people recently bereaved
• Treat all communication with confidentiality now and in the future
• Offer assistance where there is complex grief involved such as past issues which are unresolved
• Discuss with you any tasks you may wish to complete.

Introducing our Family Support Social Worker…

Our Social Worker is NZ Registered under the Registration of Social Workers Act 2003 and has full membership of the Aotearoa NZ Association of Social Workers (ANZASW). This means that there are a set of practice standards and a national Code of Ethics to which our Social Worker is bound, ensuring a professional service is provided to our patients and families.

Our Social Worker can provide support to you in any of the following ways:

• Emotional and Counselling support
• Relationship difficulties (including concerns about family violence, abuse or neglect)
• Your use or someone else’s use of drug, alcohol or other substance use or overuse
• Support and advocacy for you with regard to other agencies (such as Work and Income NZ, ACC, Housing NZ, Department of Immigration)
• Consultation on your behalf with other services (for example with Needs Assessment services (NASC, Taikura Trust), Home Care agencies, residential care facilities)
• Information on cultural support options available
• Caregiver strategies to assist in managing carer fatigue and carer stress
• Information on practical assistance options (such as frozen meal menus, child care, personal alarms, help in the home)
• Facilitation of a family or whanau meeting (where this relates to our patient)
• Providing general information about certain legal aspects (for example Power of Attorney, Enduring Power of Attorney, Guardianship and Family Court processes)  and how to access independent legal advice

Groups offered…..

Daybreak Group

This is an opportunity for you to join other Hospice patients in a group which is relaxed and friendly. Each week the group has a new topic. A calendar of topics is given out regularly.  Daybreak meets each Friday at the Hospice from 10am to 12md. A light morning tea is served.

Carers Group

This support group meets at the same time as the Daybreak group.  All Hospice Caregivers are welcome and encouraged to talk about the issues they are experiencing day to day. 

Stepping Out

This is an eight week programme for men and women following bereavement.  There are two facilitators and for many people this group provides the much needed support of others who share this journey.  People are invited to attend by the Family support team.

Us Group.

We invite children of school age who have experienced loss to share in an after school group. This is an opportunity for children to play together and the group does not provide counselling but instead a safe supportive environment with supervised activities.

Feedback…

Any feedback you may have regarding the standard of service you receive from the Family Support Team is warmly invited and can assist us in improving our service.

If you are unhappy about the standard of service you received please contact the Nurse Manager in the first instance.  A number of options are available to you, which include making contact with the Health and Disability Commission or a Hospice Advocate or by contacting the professional body of the clinician concerned.