Inpatient Unit Care
Our Inpatient Unit allows for symptom management and end of life care in our 11 bed facility in Hamilton, and provides a very special environment for patients and their families at a difficult time.
Patients can be admitted for assessment and symptom management (e.g. pain, nausea), carer support or training, and end-of-life care, if care at home is no longer possible or preferred.
Our Inpatient Unit is located at 334 Cobham Drive, Hamilton on the Hospice Waikato site. Limited parking is available on site, with additional parking available on the surrounding streets. Please do not park in the clearly marked staff parking areas.
Our Inpatient team includes specialist palliative care nurses and doctors who are committed to providing holistic care and respecting the cultural and spiritual needs of our patients and their whānau. Social workers, counsellors, and the spiritual care coordinator are also available to patients in the Inpatient Unit.
Our skilled professionals provide clinical support with care and compassion. They will work with you and your family/whānau to identify individual needs and preferences to help ensure that your treatment and care plan meets your needs, to support you to be in the best position to live well. The length of your stay is decided on an individual basis with most patients returning to their own homes.
Things to bring for your stay –
If you are staying in the Inpatient unit, here’s a list of things you can consider bringing –
- Please bring your usual medications.
- Don’t forget your toiletries.
- Bring continence products if you are using them.
- Pack a bag with some comfortable casual clothing as well as your nightwear and dressing gown.
- You are welcome to bring family photos and mementos, but please don’t bring valuables.
- All bedding and linen is supplied but you are welcome to bring a favourite pillow, quilt or similar.
- Cell phones, electronic reading devices and laptops can be used in the In-patient Unit. These items are brought on-site at the owner’s own risk.
Visiting the Inpatient Unit -
Whānau/family and friends are always welcome to visit between 8am and 8pm, 7 days a week. If you would like to visit outside these times, please speak with a member of our Inpatient Unit team.
We have vulnerable patients in this unit, so if you are unwell, please refrain from visiting. Please also note that the Inpatient Unit is a smoke free area.
Security –
- Visitors must enter and leave the Inpatient Unit by the main door and sign in and out on the iPad.
- To ensure the safety of everyone, once the main door is locked, only staff may provide access to the building.
- Hospice Waikato cannot accept responsibility for the damage or loss of valuables or any personal items belonging to visitors or patients.
Kōwhai House -
The purchase of a property adjoining our Cobham Drive site has allowed for the development of “Kōwhai House”, a four bedroom, established home which provides an accommodation option for families from out of town who have a loved one staying in our Inpatient Unit.
The home was purchased by the Waikato Community Hospice Foundation who share our vision of providing wrap around care for not only our patients, but for their families and whānau too.
Kōwhai House allows for a greater number of people to stay on site, with the ability to self-cater and with space for children to play safely. We understand how important it is for families to be together at end-of-life, and Kōwhai House will allow this to happen for many of our rural families. The house was officially opened at a function on the 8th of March and If you are interested in discussing this accommodation option, please liaise with your Hospice Nurse in the first instance.
