FAQs — Lake Taupō Hospice | Palliative Home Care Services

Your Questions, Answered

Hospice care is specialist palliative care for people living with a life-limiting illness. It focuses on comfort, dignity, quality of life, and supporting the whole person – physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually.
Hospice care also extends to family, whānau, and carers, helping them feel informed and supported throughout the journey.
Palliative care is care that aims to improve quality of life for people with a serious or life-limiting illness. It helps manage pain and other symptoms, while also supporting emotional wellbeing, decision-making, and practical needs.
Palliative care can be provided at different stages of illness and is not only for the final days of life.
No. Hospice supports people at different stages of a life-limiting illness. Some people receive hospice care for a short time, while others may be supported over many months.
The earlier hospice is involved, the more support we can provide.
No. Palliative care is not about giving up. It is about helping people live as comfortably and fully as possible, while making care decisions that reflect their values, needs, and wishes.
Collaborative, honest, and straightforward. We're here to guide the process, bring ideas to the table, and keep things moving.

Lake Taupō Hospice supports people living with a life-limiting illness, along with their family, whānau, and carers.
This may include people with cancer, heart disease, respiratory illness, neurological conditions, kidney disease, or other serious illnesses.
Referrals are often made by a GP, hospital team, district nurse, specialist, or aged care provider. You can also self refer, or contact us at Lake Taupō Hospice directly to talk about your situation and whether hospice care may be appropriate.
Hospice care can begin much earlier than many people realise. A referral may be helpful when symptoms become harder to manage, when extra support is needed at home, or when patients and whānau would benefit from guidance, planning, or emotional support.
No. Many people benefit from hospice support well before the final stage of illness. Early support can help with symptom management, planning ahead, and improving quality of life.

Lake Taupō Hospice is a community-based hospice, which means much of our care is provided in people’s own homes. We can also continue supporting patients if they move into local aged care or another care setting.
Where possible, we support people to remain in the place they feel most comfortable. This may include clinical care, practical advice, equipment loans, personal care support, and guidance for family or whānau caring at home.
No. Your GP remains an important part of your care team. Hospice works alongside your GP and other healthcare providers to ensure your care is coordinated and responsive to your needs.
Support may include pain and symptom management, nursing care, personal care, emotional and spiritual support, family and whānau support, bereavement care, practical guidance, and loan equipment to help people remain at home.

Serious illness affects everyone close to the person receiving care. Hospice provides support for family, whānau, and carers through information, guidance, emotional support, counselling, and bereavement care.
Yes. Hospice can provide emotional support and counselling for family and whānau during a person’s illness and after a loss.
Yes. We can support carers with information, practical advice, and guidance around caring for someone at home. We aim to help carers feel more confident, prepared, and supported.
Our care does not end when someone dies. Bereavement support is available for family and whānau as they navigate grief and life after loss.

Yes. Where appropriate, hospice can loan equipment to help patients remain comfortable and safe at home.
Yes. Hospice can support conversations about future care, personal wishes, and what matters most to the patient and their whānau.
Yes. If a patient moves into local aged care, Lake Taupō Hospice can continue to provide specialist palliative care support in partnership with the care facility and other health professionals.
Yes. If you are concerned about someone you love, you can contact Lake Taupō Hospice for guidance. We can talk through the situation and help you understand what support may be available.

Approximately 30% of our funding comes from Te Whatu Ora, this funding is specifically directed to home-based palliative care services. The remaining 70% is raised from our retail outlets – Taupō and Tūrangi Hospice Shops – as well as donations, bequests, sponsors, events, and other fundraisers. Your support is truly appreciated, and crucial for sustaining this important free community service.
Community support helps cover the gap between Te Whatu Ora funding and the true cost of providing hospice care. Every donation helps ensure local people and their whānau can access compassionate care when they need it.

You can support Lake Taupō Hospice by making a donation, volunteering your time, shopping at or donating goods to our Hospice Shops, leaving a gift in your Will, sponsoring our work, or supporting fundraising events.
Yes. Volunteers are an important part of hospice. They support our Hospice Shops, fundraising, events, administration, and other areas of our work.
Yes. Quality donated goods help our Hospice Shops raise vital funds for hospice care. Details on what items can be accepted are on our shops page.
Yes. A gift in your Will is a meaningful way to support hospice care for future generations in our community. Every gift, large or small, helps make a lasting difference.