Resources

Advance care planning (ACP) is the process of thinking about, talking about and planning for future health care and end-of-life care.

The Health Quality & Safety Commission website provides information about ACP for clinicians and consumers.

The Carer Support Subsidy is financial support available for people looking after someone full-time with a life-limiting condition or terminal illness.  It allows them to have  some time for themselves as a break from the full-time caring of that person. This may mean reimbursement of some of the costs of engaging a support person to continue the care and support of the person in need, or purchases which will provide the full-time carer with respite.

Carers NZ are a national not-for-profit network working to provide information, advice, learning and support for carers in our network, for every step of your caring journey.

Here, you’ll find information about the different care options available in most residential care facilities in New Zealand (including rest homes, dementia and hospital level care), how care is paid for, and insight into what you can expect from living in a care home.

This podcast series is for New Zealand family carers who are faced with caring for a loved one who is dying. Developed by the specialist palliative team at Otago Community Hospice and supported by Hospice New Zealand, the series provides reliable palliative advice and information for carers who may find themselves out of their depth caring for someone nearing end of life.

Information about how to plan ahead by making what’s called an enduring power of attorney and is a legal document.  An EPOA gives someone you trust the power to make decisions for you if you become unable to make or communicate decisions for yourself.

Go With Grace is a directory and resource that guides and supports New Zealanders through their experiences with death and dying.

For many of us, we choose not to reflect on – or plan for – this moment in time. Go With Grace offers gentle guidance, support, and practical advice for those planning end-of-life or facing the death of a loved one.

Hospice New Zealand is the national membership organisation representing the country’s hospice services. Each individual hospice in NZ is independently governed and managed locally and may be a member of Hospice NZ. As a central body, Hospice New Zealand provides invaluable information, education, and resources for those involved in hospice care.

A free resource in English and Te Reo Māori to help you and your whānau with conversations about what is important to you and your whānau for current and future health care. It helps you to understand what the future might hold, and say what health care you would or would not want, including end-of-life care.

A resource to help make palliative care understandable for health professionals, providing clear explanations of how to manage issues that can be very challenging. The handbook includes sections on symptom control, drug information and prescribing. This handbook is useful wherever palliative care happens.

The National Travel Assistance Scheme is financial support for people who need to travel long distances or travel frequently for specialist treatment. Information here includes who is eligible, what NTA covers, and how to make a claim.

These guidelines are designed for health professionals who provide palliative care outside of the specialist palliative care team, such as Aged Residential Care facilities, hospitals, and primary health care providers. The guidelines share the common practice in Northland amongst the palliative care teams, incorporating information from the NZ Palliative Care Handbook with a practical holistic approach to care.

The support and care of families and whānau, as well as the dying person, is a crucial part of the last days of life. It is best delivered by a multidisciplinary team, supporting everyone involved to identify realistic goals of care and contribute to decision-making, whilst also helping them deal with their own distress.

Te Ara Whakapiri – Care in the Last Days of Life can be used in any care setting to help teams of health care professionals make regular assessments that include reflection, review and critical decision-making in the best interest of the person they are caring for.

A government resource to find information and services that might be available to you to assist with end-of-life planning or following the death of a loved one.

TimeOut is a charity that connects holiday home owners with a person diagnosed with an terminal illness to help families spend invaluable time together and create lasting memories.