Services

Community Care Coordination (CCC)

The CCC serves as the link between the patient and their family, the hospice, and all other services the patient may be using e.g. hospital specialist, GP, District Nurses etc.

Outpatient Clinics

Appointments are available with a hospice doctor to see either new or existing patients on the hospice programme.

Inpatient Care

Respite Care

The patient is admitted to the inpatient unit for one week out of every eight. This gives the family or caregiver, as well as the patient a break. It also serves as a good opportunity to review symptom management issues, psychosocial-spiritual issues and family support.

Symptom Control

This involves admission to the inpatient unit for symptom management ie physical, emotional, psychosocial or spiritual symptom management. In most cases, symptom relief can be achieved.

Terminal Care

When the patient reaches the final phase of their illness, they may choose to spend their remaining days at the hospice. Families are welcome to stay overnight.

Rural Outreach

Patients may be admitted to the Hospice programme within the wider Otago region, which includes North, South and Central Otago. A Hospice appointed palliative care team is located in each region to serve the local communities. These teams are supported by the hospice and have a Care Coordinator appointed to each team who visit regularly.

Family Support

Family support is an integral part of caring for the patient and family and includes one-on-one counselling, bereavement support groups, remembrance services, and morning teas for recently bereaved families.

Education

The Otago Community Hospice provides an education service for health professionals of any discipline who wish to know more about palliative care. The Education Service provides courses, inservice education and rural outreach education opportunities. It also has strong links with the Dunedin School of Medicine and Otago Polytechnic School of Nursing.