Hospice Waiheke Homecare seeks to exemplify the World Health Organisation’s definition of hospice/palliative care which states “an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness…”

• Specially trained volunteers offer individuals and families support and respite on a regular basis as needed.

• Grief counselling and support including bereavement follow-up.

• Provision of relaxation, massage, reflexology and life-story recordings.

• Provision of equipment into patient homes free of charge.

• Regular funding to the Waiheke Health Trust to enable the community nurse specialists to provide in-home palliative care.

• If specialist inpatient symptom management is required, patients can go to the Mercy Hospice, College Hill, Ponsonby in Auckland, following a GP or DN referral.