Latest news with #OtagoCommunityHospice
Otago Daily Times
18-06-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Volunteer urges others to give it a go
To celebrate National Volunteer Week, The Star highlights one of Dunedin's unsung heroes — Otago Community Hospice and Christmas can collection stalwart Aimee Taylor. Brenda Harwood reports. In typical fashion, stalwart Dunedin volunteer Aimee Taylor was a little reluctant to step into the limelight and be celebrated for her efforts. But the chance to highlight the immense benefits of volunteering for individuals and organisations alike, and to encourage others to become volunteers, convinced her that it was worth it. Alongside her busy role as a career firefighter, based at the Dunedin Central Fire Station, Ms Taylor is also a stalwart volunteer — doing regular shifts in the Otago Community Hospice kitchen and stepping up to organise the annual Combined Dunedin Foodbanks Christmas Can Collection. Ms Taylor started volunteering at the hospice several years ago, after witnessing the excellent supportive care given to family members and friends and deciding to give back. "Because I do shift work as a firefighter, I am able to slot into kitchen shifts around what is needed, including lunch service and dinner service," she said. Working alongside hospice head chef Rose Tamplin, Ms Taylor helps to create tempting individual meals for in-patients, as well as catering for community support groups, training sessions and meetings. "It's great to be involved in helping to care for patients at the hospice, as well as providing for some of the many other people who provide and receive support there," she said. Otago Community Hospice has about 400 volunteers, who tackle a broad range of important tasks that help keep the facility running, including reception, cleaning, kitchen work, gardening and working in the hospice shops. "There is a constant rotation of people coming through to do those vital volunteer jobs, it's quite amazing," Ms Taylor said. However, more volunteers were always needed at the hospice, and she urged anyone interested to give it a go. "It is a very satisfying thing to do, and the hospice is great at looking after and celebrating their volunteers." As a firefighter, Ms Taylor had been involved in the Christmas can collection, which is supported by local emergency services, for a few years before stepping up to become organiser of the event. "It is such an important support for our local major foodbanks, so I wanted to do all I could to help. "And having formerly worked as an event organiser, it is something I enjoy doing and have the skills for," she said. The Christmas can collection helps to fill up the shelves at Dunedin's Presbyterian Support Otago Family Works foodbank, the Salvation Army foodbank and the St Vincent de Paul foodbank at what is a difficult time of year for many families. "Last Christmas, we had more than 200 volunteers for the collection, including drivers of appliances and collection vehicles, runners and packers. "It was so much fun, and a really rewarding thing to do — the community really supports it generously." Describing volunteering as her "happy place", Ms Taylor urged others to give it a go. "It's a great feeling to be involved in something like that."
Otago Daily Times
03-06-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Kale surplus takes top honour
A winter crop surplus, featuring award-winning kale, has Ben Peter searching for more mouths to eat it. The kale paddock won best overall crop at the Central Otago Winterfeed Competition recently. As it was the first time he had entered the competition, he was considering never entering again so he could maintain a perfect record. "It might be the last time," he said. Mr Peter was the production manager for Sustainable Prospects Ltd, dairy grazing, beef finishing and small seed cropping on 575ha flat-to-rolling farm in Springvale, north of Alexandra. All of the 575ha was irrigated and included 210ha of winter crop, about 70% fodder beet and 30% kale. With a surplus of winter feed, he was trying to find some stock to fill the gap. Hopefully a contract could be sorted to graze cattle or cattle could be bought to fatten, or it might be a combination of both. But having too much feed going into winter was a better problem than not having enough. "I don't want to waste it ... either because we don't have enough mouths to eat it," he said. Cattle had been harder to secure this season, as many farmers were in the same boat and had plenty of feed available. A crystal ball was needed when deciding on the amount of crops to plant in spring, he said. To produce the prize-winning kale crop, SovGold seed was sown at the start of November. The weather had played ball since the seed was sown. Asked for the secret to grow a top kale crop, the soil quality was discounted. "It is not our best dirt on the farm," he said. The paddock had been producing crops for the past four years and went through a fairly intensive cropping rotation. About 2000 dairy cows were arriving this week and would start grazing the kale. Kale was used to transition cattle on to fodder beet. Judge Richard Copland, of Poolburn, said the kale crop won the top prize because it was even, high-yielding, clean of weeds and bugs and fit-for-purpose. Other kale crops entered in the competition were higher yielding, but they were so tall they would be harder to utilise, Mr Copland said. The two-yearly competition had record entries of 93 crops. More than $100,000 was raised and would be split between Otago Community Hospice, Poolburn School and Ōmakau School. Results 2025 Central Otago Winterfeed Competition results: Best overall crop: Ben Peter. Irrigated fodder beet: Chris and Jaimee Pemberton. Irrigated kale: Ben and Anna Gillespie. Dryland kale: Brad and Kirsten McEwen. Irrigated swede: Elliott and Jardene Morgan. Dryland swede: Tom Goble. Irrigated rape: Evans Family. Dryland rape: Glen and Renee Harrex. Irrigated mixed crop: Mark and Vicki O'Neill. Dryland mixed crop: Scott and Briar Milne. Irrigated turnip: James and Chris Armstrong. Biggest weed: The Rutherford family.
Otago Daily Times
14-05-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Hospice celebrates awards for nursing team
Otago Community Hospice nurses Sally Hanrahan (left) and Selena Branson pictured at the Southern Nursing Excellence Awards. PHOTO: SUPPLIED The dedication and outstanding work of two Otago Community Hospice nurses was recognised at this week's Southern Nursing Excellence Awards. Sally Hanrahan, an enrolled nurse, who has worked in the Otago Community Hospice Inpatient Unit for 35 years, received a clinical excellence award. This award recognises nurses who provide exceptional nursing care and role model clinical excellence in their practice. Selena Branson, from the Hospice Residential Support Team, received a rising star award. This award recognises nurses who have already made significant contributions to the nursing profession early in their career and inspire and encourage others. Otago Community Hospice director of nursing and clinical services Louise Ingham said, in a statement, the organisation was ''so proud of their achievements". "They are a shining example of the dedication and skill our clinical team bring to everything they do." "Our team are not only skilled in managing symptoms and supporting decision-making, but also in the subtle, human art of accompanying people through some of the most profound moments of life," Ms Ingham said. Ms Hanrahan and Ms Branson are part of a dedicated team of health care professionals that deliver holistic, responsive, and evidence-based care to people and whānau across Otago. "At Otago Community Hospice, our commitment to providing expert, specialist palliative care is deeply rooted in the skills and experience of our team, and nowhere is this more evident than within our nursing and whānau support workforce," Ms Ingham said. The Southern Nursing Excellence Awards recognise nurses across the whole health sector. Ms Ingham said it was timely, during Hospice Awareness Week, to acknowledge and celebrate the special work of palliative care nurses.
Otago Daily Times
11-05-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Govt funding falls short, hospice says
If you thought things were grim at the Otago Community Hospice, it could be a lot worse — we could lose the facility, through lack of funding. As part of Hospice Awareness Week (May 12-18), the region is being asked to imagine a loved one with a terminal illness not having access to the palliative care the hospice provides. Otago Community Hospice chief executive officer Ginny Green said its running costs were escalating, but funding was not. It was not alone in the situation. The cost of running hospice services across the country had increased "massively" in recent years, but government funding had not adjusted for rising costs, leaving many hospices struggling to cover the cost of their service, she said. "We are running as leanly as possible. "We have made cuts in overheads without impacting delivery, and introduced innovative solutions to ensure our service remains sustainable. "But heading into the new financial year, we are anxious about the deficit we are facing." The government funded about 50% of hospice operating costs, and the other 50% of funding was raised in the community. However, Ms Green said as the cost of living increased, the ability for the community to fund the balance was limited. Total expenditure across the nation's publicly contracted hospices would exceed the total revenues from government and community sources in less than 12 months. The shortfall was projected to reach $196 million by 2045, as costs continued to increase and New Zealand's population grew and aged. In Otago in 2019, 684 people received hospice care. That number had increased to more than 1000 last year. Nationwide, 10,880 people received hospice care in 2023. That number was expected to have increased by 53% in 2045. Otago Community Hospice supports people with terminal illness to live and die well. Its multidisciplinary team includes community care co-ordinators, palliative specialist doctors, counsellors, social workers and a residential care support team, who all work closely with GPs, hospitals and district nurses. However, without making drastic changes to how their services were delivered, hospices would fail to meet the growing demand if the government did not change its funding model. To meet the urgent shortfall of today, and remain sustainable into the future, Ms Green called for the government to rethink how it funded hospice services. Hospices saved the health system about $110m every year and delivered a conservative return on investment of $1.59 for every $1 of government funding. They also generated $48m in quality-of-life improvements, $2.6m in wellbeing benefits and $468,000 in out-of-pocket cost savings for families. "The value to patients goes beyond money. "From avoiding unnecessary trips to emergency departments, to timely medical care and whānau support, hospices make a real difference in our communities." People could help Otago Community Hospice by writing to their local and national MPs, and sharing Hospice Awareness Week social media posts calling for fairer funding, she said. "Our fundraising target for the present financial year is $5m, which equates to more than $13,000 every day. "High quality donations to our hospice shops are always greatly appreciated, and people can also help by making a cash donation during Hospice Awareness Week. "We will continue to rely heavily on our community until there is a government fix."
Otago Daily Times
10-05-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Hospice hub one-stop shop for North Otago
Otago Community Hospice communications adviser Kelly Meade (left) and retail development manager Cat Callanan are excited for the Oamaru hub to reopen next week. PHOTO: NIC DUFF The hub is back. Otago Community Hospice will reopen its Oamaru hub on Monday. The building on Thames Highway will house the hospice shop, accommodating two full-time care co-ordinators as well as a social worker twice a week and a councillor for a full week, once a month. It will also have two palliative care doctors and a residential care nurse visit regularly. The hospice has three night carers in North Otago and can also run education programmes for carers. Otago Community Hospice chief executive Ginny Green is excited the hub is reopening. While all of their services had still been available with the hub closed, it now became a "one-stop-shop" for North Otago, she said. "It means that our clinical team are all co-located so there's no mucking around with being in different offices. "Up until now, we've had to be all over the show so it's just pulling everyone back in together. "It's a destination shop for the people of North Otago." The hub was closed in 2023, after rotten floorboards were discovered. What was originally intended to be a quick fix, turned into a long-term problem as almost the entirety of the flooring was rotten. That has now been fixed and the building is in tip-top shape for Monday's reopening, which also coincides with Hospice Awareness Week. Breen Construction did the work. Otago Community Hospice has 23 patients in North Otago and averages five new referrals per month. Their services range from in-home palliative care to working alongside Oamaru Hospital and other residential care facilities to offer its services. Approximately only 15% of patients require a stay in the inpatient unit, so having a centralised hub in Oamaru allows easier access for all of their services. The Hospice Shop is also an important way for the organisation to raise funds as almost 50% of their funding comes through fundraising. A grand reopening is being planned for next month.
