Group founder Nick Berryman said, at its May funding round, members heard presentations from the hospice and fellow local charities Orokonui Ecosanctuary and Cargill Enterprises, and voted to donate funds to the hospice for a specialist bed.
"It felt to our members that this was a very meaningful thing to donate to," Mr Berryman said.
100+ People Who Care members contributed $5400 to buy the bed, which can be raised and lowered close to the floor for patient safety.
Following a call for extra support, Dunedin’s Stateside Streeters Inc then donated the funds to buy a specialised comfort mattress for the bed.
In total, the two organisations donated about $9000 for the bed and mattress.
Otago Community Hospice director of nursing and clinical services Louisa Ingram said the "high-low" bed was invaluable when patients in the in-patient unit were agitated or confused and at a higher risk of falling out of bed.
"This bed can be lowered right down close to the floor, and with a special soft foam mat beside the bed, we can ensure the patient does not get hurt," Ms Ingram said.
The flexibility of the beds, which could be raised up for nursing procedures then lowered, meant it kept both the patient and nurses safe.
"This is the first of these beds we have been able to get to the hospice, and we are very happy and thankful to have it," she said.
Otago Community Hospice chief executive Ginny Green said the organisation was very grateful to the 100+ People Who Care group and Stateside Streeters Inc for their generous donations.
"The bed will be a game-changer for both our nurses and patients’ families, who may be very anxious about their loved ones’ safety," Ms Green said.
"They will be able to rest easier themselves."
Patients came in to the hospice’s in-patient unit for about 898 bed nights each year, so the new bed would touch many families in the community in the coming years, Ms Green said.
Patient numbers continued to grow year-on-year, the hospice supporting about 300 patients and their families across the Otago region at any one time.
The vast majority of care and support was provided in the community.
As demand continued to grow for the hospice’s services, the gap between government funding and the cost of providing the free services was growing, Ms Green said.
At present, the hospice must fundraise $3 million per year to support its services, which save the New Zealand health system millions of dollars.
Otago Community Hospice has an array of upcoming fundraising events, including a BNI Bingo Bonanza on September 10 and the Edinburgh Women’s Golf Tournament on November 10.
• The next 100+ People Who Care group meeting, which will mark the group’s two-year anniversary and celebrate its distribution of $34,000 to local charities, will be held next Wednesday, August 20, 7pm-8pm, at Otago Golf Club. There will be presentations by SPCA Otago, Southern Youth Development and the Moray Foundation.
Interested people are welcome to just turn up, or for information email nick.berryman@bayleys.co.nz
