Otago Community Hospice and Hospice New Zealand launch Ending Life Well Podcast

A new podcast series to help carers who have been thrown in the deep end caring for loved ones who are dying is now available on all good podcast apps.

The series, created by the specialist palliative care team at Otago Community Hospice and supported by Hospice New Zealand, is the first of its kind in New Zealand.

Hospice CEO Ginny Green says Ending Life Well is a podcast built especially for those caring for someone who is dying.

“Equipping and supporting this huge workforce of carers – unpaid, untrained and in unchartered territory, is one of our most important roles as a specialist provider.

“While we at Hospice care for those who have complex palliative needs, we are well aware that there are others out there dying who do not have direct access to our skilled specialist team.

“This podcast enables us to share our knowledge – our tricks of the trade – with family carers who may be well out of their depth as they go about caring for a loved one who is dying.”

Hospice New Zealand Acting CEO, Wayne Naylor, was happy to support the project, knowing that it would have a meaningful impact for that group of people who are caring for loved ones at home.

The series provides reliable advice and information for carers who may not have the time or headspace to read the on-line resources available to carers. It’s also specifically built around those particular challenges when looking after someone who is dying and the complexities that can arise.

The series was inspired by the Kowhai Programme – a well-established Otago Community Hospice carers education programme – created in response to research done, with carers of people with terminal illness, in collaboration with the University of Otago in 2010.

Series Content

Ep 1: Carers – How to Keep Yourself Well

EP 2: Small and Tasty – Tempting Someone to Eat

Ep 3: Pills and Potions – Managing the Meds

Ep 4 Grief and Loss

Ep 5: Carer and Patient Fatigue

Ep 6: Rest, Relax, Sleep

Ep 7: What to Expect at End of Life

Ep 8: Advance Care Planning

Ep 9: What does Grief look like?

Ep 10: Finding Meaning – The Importance of Self

Ep 11: Breathlessness