“Every Moment Is Quite Precious”: Sharing Life Stories For Hospice Awareness Week

Hospice New Zealand is launching a campaign today to help raise awareness about the value of hospice care.

The campaign Share our Life Stories portrays hospice staff; a music therapist, clinical psychologist, biographer and volunteer; sharing their own stories in a heartwarming and insightful video series.

Hospice NZ Acting Chief Executive, Wayne Naylor says there continues to be a lack of awareness in our communities of what hospice care includes, where it happens, and the positive experience people receive from hospice care.

He says these stories aim to express the breadth and value of hospice care which is precious and often very joyful.

“Hospice is a holistic wrap around service, interwoven with stories of care. It’s not just doctors and nurses, hospices provide a range of supportive care from music therapy, sharing your life story with a biographer, bereavement counselling, spiritual care, and physiotherapy, plus many other services. It’s whatever brings the individual and their whanau peace and joy,” says Mr Naylor.

One of the stories features a music therapist, Keryn Squires, from Te Omanga hospice and her patient, Leon, describing the power of music to create uplifting moments.

“I see people just transform. They noticeably look lighter and start smiling. And, they may have been anxious or in pain and the music takes them somewhere else,” says Keryn.

Another of the stories features a clinical services manager, Lea Galvin from Nelson Tasman Hospice.

“Just as we prepare for a beautiful birth, hospice helps people prepare for a good death by walking alongside individuals and their whānau and supporting people to live every moment well, right up until the very end.”

“Hospice cares for people in any place they call home. We are in the community, in people’s homes, in the park, or in our purpose - built facilities. It’s wherever we need to be we are,” says Lea.

Last year, 90% of people under hospice were cared for in their home with no admission to a hospice in-patient facility.

The stories also aim to dispel a few myths about hospice care, like the notion it is only available in the last days of someone’s life. As Lea expresses in her story;

“If we are involved earlier in someone’s illness, we can support people better to achieve what they want to achieve with their remaining life. We are actually about life, not just death,” says Lea.

Mr Naylor said he hoped that this campaign motivated more New Zealanders to support hospice.

“We rely on the generosity of our communities to deliver our life changing services. We couldn’t do it without their support.”

“Everybody needs understanding and care. It’s these things that allow us to thrive when we are well, and get through when we are struggling. And we need these most when we are dying. At the end of our lives, when time is precious, hospice exists to ensure we do. Understanding the care, the value, the comfort that Hospice provides – is why Hospice Awareness Week is so important. “

Hospice Awareness Week runs from 16-22 May 2022

Visit https://www.hospice.org.nz/sharing-our-stories-for-hospice-awareness-week

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