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Tui House, the new home for Hospice in the Warkworth Wellsford area, is delivering on its promise to provide more services to the local community.
Since opening late last year, weekly day groups have commenced, daytime respite is underway, clinic visits are offered, weekly complementary therapy sessions are held, health education has increased and the Korowai Rooms, in the community wing, are being put to good use by local people. Even more services will be offered in the coming weeks, with plans in place for block courses in art and music (ukulele groups). In addition, new administration systems enable the clinical team spend more valuable time on patient care.
Open Doors sessions are held at Tui House every Tuesday morning. Patients say they come for friendship, fun, or just to get out of the house. Marian Kidd describes the weekly group as “teaching you how to live with cancer and not die with it”.
Barbara Maddern agrees. The weekly group is one of her many social outings, as she is determined to keep active for as long as she can. She says everyone involved in Open Doors has been “unbelievably kind”.
“Nothing is too much trouble and it makes me feel so good that people care.”
Marian also appreciates the mutual understanding in the group, and the absence of judgement.
“If one of us is a bit off, we can talk about it without feeling like a hypochondriac,” she says. “It’s not a moan, it’s just talking.”
In recent weeks, a merger of Rodney and North Shore hospice services has been completed.
Warkworth Wellsford and North Shore Hospices have operated under one charitable trust since 1991, but last month they merged with Hibiscus Hospice to become Harbour Hospice. Although the three services became a single legal entity on July 1, they have been working closely together for more than a year, and patients and families are reaping the benefits of having scarce professional skills and resources shared between the communities.
Chief executive Jan Nichols says there is less duplication of roles, especially in administration and management, which is making more money available for clinical services.
“This is essential given the rapid increase in population growth and ageing,” she says.
“Our day groups are a very good example, where one coordinator, Pauline Louette, has introduced very successful new day programmes at both the Warkworth and Hibiscus Coast sites.”
Crucially, some things have not changed with the merger:
• Funds will continue to be used in the community that raises them
• Nurses still visit patients in their own homes
• Patients in North Rodney have free access to the inpatient units at Takapuna and Red Beach (local patients used 240 bed days in these units last year)
• Hospice’s wraparound services are provided free of charge.
Harbour Hospice encourages anyone in the community to visit Tui House to find out more about services that are available.
Info: Ph Tui House on 425 9535 or visit harbourhospice.org.nz
