The Farewell team are primarily based in the Mahau and Kenepuru Sounds, with volunteers also based in the Queen Charlotte, the area we endeavor to serve is the whole of the Marlborough Sounds. If it is feasible to travel to remote areas within the sounds we will try to do so.

The Fare-well Trust was the brain child of our founder Sarah Carberry and Co-Founder Jann Hook, who saw the need to provide palliative care services and whanau support to end of life patients who wished to remain at home to die.

We do not ask for payment for the majority of our services. A koha or donation is always welcome, so that we can continue our work assisting others in the community.

The Trust has a Memorandum of Understanding with Hospice Marlborough, so we work in conjunction with their Health Care professionals. The volunteers of the Trust have many and varied roles:

• the primary ones are providing a skilled and empathetic Companion to the Dying
• provide a caring Death Care Advocate to assist the client and the family through all phases of their active dying and death
• work in conjunction with Hospice Marlborough to facilitate the professional care team and our Farewell Trust volunteers

• Assistance with medication from our palliative care nurses
• Practical help and companionship for the dying
• We can provide relief for the primary carers
• We have an array of equipment we can loan to assist with caring for your loved one at home eg: showering stool, walker, sensor mat wheel chair, crutches, commode, bed rail, hospital beds and mattresses.
• We also coordinate with Hospice Marlborough to facilitate the delivery and return of any Hospice equipment

• Depending on your wishes we will be there to assist any time of the day and night and be guided by you as to what you would like us to do.
• We work under the guidance of the Hospice Marlborough professional medical team and have 24 hour assistance if needed.

• Our companion to the dying and death care advocate team are there to support you and the family throughout this process.
• We can prepare the body by washing and dressing ready for collection by the Funeral Director, or assist with transportation if required
• We can notify your loved ones and let the Funeral Directors know of the death.
• We can provide a cooling plate to enable your loved one to remain at home for up to 5 days without the need for unnecessary embalming.

The death of your loved one does have to be recorded with the Births, Deaths and Marriages Department, we can assist with this or notify your Funeral Director. A medical doctor (ideally your own GP) will need to sign the death certificate. If the body is to be cremated then two doctors will need to sign the paperwork.

Provided the body is resting on a cooling plate in a cool room that has good ventilation and there is very little deterioration to the body, they can remain at home for up to 5 days. Monitoring will need to take place daily to ensure all is well. This process can be affected by certain medications and treatments prior to death.

No, this is not necessary. Your loved one can remain at home under the guidance of the Farewell Team if this has been prearranged. Unless there are unforeseen complications and the situation will need to be reviewed.

The Farewell Trust team can assist with the paperwork

Your loved one does not need to be embalmed unless they are being repatriated to another location via air.

There are a number of options which are on offer today. The most common are cremation, burial, eco burial, burial at sea and composting coffins. The Farewell Team can advise on options for you to consider.

It is not mandatory to have a funeral in New Zealand, however it is a very good way to say your last goodbyes to your loved one. The Farewell Team can assist with alternative options, which may include a home funeral, a celebration of life, a memorial service or a very informal gathering of your loved ones to say goodbye in your own style.

Yes, the Farewell Team can assist you in preparation of your Fare- well Wishes document which is a working document that you can add to at any stage.