Hospice help heaven sent for those who need it
Nelson Tasman Hospice nurses provide vital care and essential services, writes Samantha Gee.
Every week, community nurse Brenda Watson drives around Nelson to visit those in need of hospice care.
She is one of six community nurses at the Nelson Tasman Hospice who between them cover Nelson, Stoke and Richmond.
Each morning, she loads a little red hatchback with medical supplies for the patients she visits. Bandages, dressings, incontinence pads and catheter bags are packed in around larger items like wheelchairs.
When she arrives at the Summerset in the Sun retirement village in Stoke to visit Jim Pascoe, he is in the garage painting a set of shelves for his model train collection.
Jim has lived with prostate cancer for about 14 years, late last year the 74-year-old he was told he needed to get his affairs in order.
An oncologist said there was nothing more that could be done for him.
‘‘They didn’t actually say you would be dead before Christmas, but that’s what they were hinting at,’’ Jim said.
‘‘They said you are not going to die of prostate cancer, you are three times a week at one stage.
‘‘There were times when we really needed your help,’’ Mollie said.
‘‘Just knowing the service is there is really good.’’
While the couple knew about hospice, they didn’t know about all the things it did in the community.
Brenda said while many people wanted to remain at home, it was often difficult to access medical help when they needed it.
‘‘The majority of people choose to be in their own home and surroundings, but in order for that to happen a lot of that responsibility falls on the whanau because they can’t manage at home without the support,’’ she said.
‘‘If we can take that burden away from patients, they can call us and we can come out.’’
For the last 10 months, Brenda has visited the Pascoe’s once a fortnight.