Lion Foundation: Supporting Care, Comfort and Connection Across Nelson Tasman

Lion Foundation have generously gifted funding for two nurse roles – one providing care in the community and one based in our Specialist Palliative Care Unit (SPCU). Lion Foundation have been supporting Nelson Tasman Hospice since 2009, ensuring that patients and whānau throughout Nelson Tasman are cared for when they need it the most.

Care in the Community

For many people, home is where they feel most comfortable. Our hospice community nurses play a vital role in helping patients remain at home for as long as possible, close to family, friends, and familiar surroundings.

Community nurses, alongside our allied health team, visit patients across the region, providing expert care, which could mean symptom management, pain relief, and emotional support. They work closely with other healthcare professionals to coordinate care and ensure each patient’s needs are met.

For patients, this means greater comfort, dignity, and quality of life. For families, it means knowing they are not facing the journey alone.

Care within the SPCU

While many patients can be cared for at home, some require more specialised support. Hospice inpatient nurses provide around-the-clock care for patients with complex symptoms or those needing additional medical and emotional support.

In the hospice inpatient unit, nurses deliver compassionate care tailored to each individual’s needs. From managing pain and discomfort to supporting patients in their final days, they help create an environment where people can experience comfort, dignity, and peace.

Equally important is the support provided to families. Inpatient nurses, alongside our Health Care Assistants, offer guidance, reassurance, and a caring presence, helping loved ones navigate difficult decisions and precious final moments together.

Lion Foundation and their associated venues, Post Boy Hotel, The Telegraph Hotel, The New Street Steakhouse, O’Shedigans Irish Bar and The Fanny’s Pub– customers and colleagues, are providing more than financial support, this is an investment in compassionate care for local people and families across the Nelson Tasman region.

Whether supporting a patient to remain comfortably at home or providing expert care in the inpatient unit, hospice nurses make a profound difference every day.

Community grants are integral to the sustainability of our Hospice; if you know of any Trusts or Foundations that may consider supporting our essential service work, please let us know.