Horowhenua to get new hospice clinic

The former midwifery rooms on Levin's Oxford St are set to become the new Arohanui Hospice Horowhenua Clinic rooms.

Horowhenua is getting its own Arohanui Hospice Clinic in Levin to meet the district's growing need.

The clinic will be located at the corner of Oxford St and Stuckey St, in the former midwifery rooms.

Hospice chief executive Clare Randall said Horowhenua patients accounted for a good third of its patients in any one year.

"We see the need in Horowhenua is a little higher than other areas. The population is a little bit older and it made sense when we looked at all the figures," she said.

The Arohanui Hospice catchment area, which includes part of Rangitikei, Manawatu and Horowhenua down to Peka Peka Rd, Kapiti, is about 200,000 people. The hospice supports about 800 patients in a year.

Randall said the Levin-based clinic will not change the level of day-to-day service already provided.

Arohanui Hospice currently provides day clinics out of Horowhenua Health Centre, a weekly creative living activity-based programme, education services to local health providers and its staff (community nurses and social workers) work closely with rest homes and the Horowhenua Hospital in-patient services to support cancer patients.

"None of that changes.

"Horowhenua patients can still access in-patient beds at the Palmerston North Hospice should they need them.

"It's about bringing all [out-patient] services under one roof and making things more accessible for Horowhenua patients.

"People are getting older and living longer. It's a reality and we're working hard to prepare for what's going to happen in the next 20 years.

"We believe it's going to be a good investment."

Randall said the Horowhenua community is amazing in terms of support for its hospice shop.

"They will see a tangible facility in town, they can see exactly where their money is going."

Arohanui Hospice is partially funded by the Government and relies heavily on money raised through fundraising and through its hospice shops to provide care to patients and their families free of charge.

The Horowhenua clinic is expected to open before the middle of the year following refurbishment, and Randall said they would need more volunteers, including help with the creative living programme, writing people's biographies and with general maintenance of the new premises.

¦ If people are interested in volunteering, contact Cathy Fisher at Arohanui Hospice on 06 356-6606.