Working at hospice a 'privilege'

North Haven Hospice volunteers Steve Alexander and Doreen Anderson with clinical nurse specialist Zoe Booty hope Hospice Awareness Week will promote a better understanding of end-of-life care. Photo / John Stone

Caring for those in the last stages of their lives is not for everyone.

But the health professionals and volunteers at North Haven Hospice in Whangarei say the work they do is a privilege.

This week is Hospice Awareness Week with volunteers out in force on Friday and Saturday collecting for the street appeal.

North Haven Hospice clinical nurse specialist Zoe Booty said she had worked in palliative care for the majority of her career. "The reason for that is because it's been the area of nursing I feel really honours the whole person. It is always a privilege."

While some parts of the job can be difficult, you learn to manage, she said.

"It's definitely sad at times. But the team is very strong and very supportive and we look out for each other."

Last year the hospice cared for 514 patients and visited 4480 patients in the community. An integral part of their work was made possible with the support of volunteers, Ms Booty said.

Doreen Anderson had been volunteering for about eight years and said she loved it. "My neighbour and I said why don't we go and try to volunteer because we knew people who had passed away," Ms Anderson said.

She did everything from making cups of tea for patients to doing their washing.

"That's what I'm here for ... people don't understand that it's a lovely place to work, " Ms Anderson said.

She was one of more than 600 volunteers who gave over 75,000 hours to the hospice last year.

Steve Alexander was only on his second day of volunteering. Eventually the former journalist would be helping patients write their biographies, something he was very passionate about.

"Everyone has a story to tell," Mr Alexander said. "It's their last chance to share their love with their family and friends."

North Haven Hospice changed their vision statement at the start of the year. It was now about encouraging compassionate communities working together supporting people to live and die well.

It was also about building an understanding of end-of-life care, which was done through things like the awareness week.

A lot of people were scared of hospices because they associated them with dying, Ms Booty said.

"We are all about loving," she said. "We are all about quality of life."