Information and support

Brochures

Our patient information booklet can be downloaded from here. This booklet contains information about the hospice services and strategies for coping with a terminal illness.

Patient information booklet (480KB)

Coping with a Terminal Illness

Everybody responds differently to a terminal illness. There is no 'best' way to cope - each person is unique and will manage in their own way. Common responses include finding your situation hard to believe, questioning, feeling angry, turning inwards away from family / friends, feeling low or hopeless, avoiding what is happening, accepting the situation at times but not at others, coming to terms with what is happening, tie up loose ends, eg, finalising your Will, communicating with friends and family, feeling there are things to be done.

You and your family / whanau may experience all or some of these feelings at various times. There may be times when you want someone to talk to about your feelings - please let us know if we can help.

• Pace yourself and organise your day.
• Reserve some private time.
• Reorganise telephone, ie, tell people when it is convenient to ring.
• Be open to changing your plans, depending on how you feel.
• Remember those who love and care for you will want to help.
• Do not feel you have to be able to do everything.

• Visitors can be a joy and a strain. Do not be afraid to limit visitors, both in numbers and time.
• You may not feel like seeing everyone who wants to visit. Most people find they tire easily.
• Make sure there is some time in the day when you can rely on being undisturbed, eg, from 1.00- 3.00pm. Ask people not to call or ring during that time or put a sign on your door.
• Ask people to ring before they come and check with you before they visit. Needs and energy vary from day to day.
• Use friends to share the load, eg, cook, wash, answer the telephone, shop, be at home so you can go out.

• General Practitioner
• Pharmacist
• Support organisations, eg, Cancer Society, Multiple Sclerosis Society, Heart Foundation
• Hospital Outpatients
• Hospital Doctors
• Work and Income New Zealand
• Your own Spiritual or Cultural Leader

• General Practitioner and Practice Nurse
• District Nurse
• Hospice Team
• Community Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists.
• Support Organisations
• Home Help
• Meals On Wheels
• Nursing Care-Agency Nurse
• Friends, Neighbours
• Work and Income New Zealand

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