No one dies alone, a winner in aged care

The aged residential care programme is profiling some of the great work done in the sector. Here we look at a volunteer programme at Mercy Parklands which provides a caring presence to dying residents in their final days, who may have otherwise died alone.  

‘No one dies alone’ is a volunteer programme which has provided more than 400 hours of time for dying residents at Mercy Parklands, an aged residential care facility in Auckland. The programme won the New Zealand Aged Care Association (NZACA)/EBOS Healthcare Excellence in Care Awards for 2019.

The not-for-profit facility operated by the Sisters of Mercy offers its residents access to a trained volunteer programme providing a compassionate, caring presence to dying residents in their final days, who may have otherwise died alone – unless by personal preference.

NZACA Chief Executive Simon Wallace says Mercy Parklands’ No one dies alone programme, described as ‘heart wrenching’ by judges, is deeply moving and provides residents with dignity and comfort at the end of life.

'With the No one dies alone programme, residents, staff and volunteers are all part of end-of-life. It is an exemplar of the work the sector does in not only providing care, but truly caring for our most vulnerable older people.'

Learn more by viewing the video below.

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