A Wānaka home care provider is fundraising for a palliative care chair that can make spending time at home more comfortable for patients.

Because this type of chair is mobile, patients who are approaching end-of-life or are immobile can access their whole home instead of being limited to their bedroom.

“The chair can be turned into a bed and has wheels that are robust enough to wheel the client out into the sunshine,” Penny’s Home Care owner Sarah Holmes said.

“As you can imagine this is a huge kindness to what can be a very traumatic part of a person's life.”

The Regency Care Chair (pictured) would be the only one of its kind available for home use in the Upper Clutha. 

This kind of equipment, because of its cost, is normally only available in hospitals or other facilities, Sarah said, and there are none currently available for home use in the Upper Clutha.

Penny’s Home Care is trying to raise $9,000 so it can provide the chair for local patients free of charge. 

The initiative has the support of the Otago Hospice Trust, whose patients will be users of the chair.

So far $1,000 has been pledged by members of the community.

‘Palliative Peace’ - an original painting by Sarah Holmes.

The model Sarah hopes to purchase is called the Regency Carer Chair, which features side access, chair tilt, an adjustable leg rest and foldaway footrest and a full backrest recline.

Sarah said she had applied to the Lions Foundation and local Rotary for support and she also plans to auction an original painting. 

Learn more or make a donation on the Penny’s Home Care website.

PHOTOS: Supplied