A NEW ERA OF hospice
PALLIATIVE CARE WITH A FOCUS ON MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT
Think Reiki, aromatherapy and mindfulness, and chances are the image conjured up will have nothing to do with end-of-life care.
Auckland’s Dove Hospice could best be described as “boutique”, with its groundbreaking holistic model of palliative care. It’s a model Janine Ewan, CEO of Dove House’s clinical services, says is likely to become more and more mainstream as baby boomers age.
“We have a non-medical focus. That doesn’t mean we don’t support people and their medical choices, because we absolutely do, but we do what we do because others are doing what they do [in the medical area].
“There’s a new generation who no longer want to come and just have a sing-song around the piano or sit and have a meal. They want something different. Our programme at Dove House reflects that – complimentary therapies, counselling, nursing advice and other means of holistic support are the cornerstones of our service.”
A day programme includes services such as aromatherapy, workshops and support groups, oncology massage, yoga, dietary advice and education information sessions.
With the advent of new treatments and people living longer with illness, inpatient care has taken a back seat to longer-term support in the community, Janine explains.
“People are living longer, often with more complex situations by the time they die. Serious illness can be almost chronic with its ups and downs of symptom management and associated emotional stress.
“Patients sometimes don’t ‘fit’ the criteria to access traditional hospice care until nearer the end of their lives, but they still need support. These are the people we see – from their diagnosis right through their illness – so even if they go back into wellness, or whether they go through to end of life, we will stay with them during that time.”
While the majority of hospices are partly funded by the government, Dove Hospice falls outside the traditional parameters for funding, relying on its retail arm – it runs five opportunity shops – along with donations, bequests and fundraising activities, to keep it afloat.
“Hospices have grown up out of their communities so they all have a different flavour, but they are all about looking after the patient, the carer and the family unit,” says Janine.
“I don’t think there’s another hospice quite like ours, providing palliative care for those with a terminal diagnosis and supportive care for those with a lifethreatening diagnosis, but for whom cure is probable.”
‘ There’s a new generation who no longer want to come and just have a singsong around the piano’