PHC Wānaka

29/07/2026

PHC Wānaka IS HIRING 🎉

1) EXPERIENCED CAREGIVER AND TEAM SUPPORT
2) EXPERIENCED CAREGIVER

As our service continues to grow, we are now offering two positions for someone who:
Genuinely enjoy caring for others Can build meaningful relationships with clients Are reliable, compassionate and professional Take pride in providing exceptional care Available five days a week

WHY JOIN THE PHC TEAM?
Plenty of hours available to the right people Supportive and friendly team culture Opportunity to grow your skills and leadership You make a genuine difference in people’s lives Enjoy one to one contact where you can give premium service

If you are someone who believes care is about kindness, dignity, and helping people choose to remain independent in their own homes, we would love to hear from you. Have a look at our website and see if what we do interests you.

Providing in-home care services to clients in & around Wanaka since 2011, helping them stay in the comfort of their own homes while giving peace of mind to family members.

07/07/2026

Over the past few weeks, I've had many people ask me why we've decided to change our name after all these years.
The truth is, it wasn't an easy decision.
For nearly 15 years, Penny's Home Care has become a trusted name throughout Central Otago. It's a name that carries thousands of memories, friendships and moments of care. It represents the incredible team who have walked alongside local families through illness, recovery, laughter, loss and everything in between.
Changing that name felt like letting go of a small piece of our history. But as our organisation has grown, I realised something important.
The care we provide has grown far beyond what it once was. We are now a certified healthcare provider, offering registered nursing, dementia care, palliative care, complex home support, respite services and now ACC funded recovery.
Most importantly, we have become a large team of extraordinary people who share one purpose, to help our community live well in a place of their choice.
This service belongs to our staff, our clients, our families and to you, our community. Long after I am gone, this service will still be here, caring for people with the same compassion, kindness and integrity that it was founded upon. Thank you Penny.
So now we have become Personal Home Care. The new name reflects what has always been at the heart of everything we do. Every person is different. Every family has their own story. Every journey deserves care that is personal.
Although our name has changed, everything that truly matters remains the same. If you still call me Penny, I will always answer with a smile. That heritage will always hold a special place in my heart.
Thank you to everyone who has trusted PHC since 2011. Thank you for welcoming us into your homes, sharing your stories and allowing us to care for the people you love.
This new name isn't about leaving our past behind.
It's about building onto it a future that belongs to our whole community.
Here's to the next chapter in serving you all,
Sarah Holmes
https://www.personalhomecare.co.nz

09/06/2026

Some exciting news for Wānaka!
After almost two years of hard work, audits, training and determination, Personal Home Care can now officially provide ACC RTI, MI and ACC Nursing Care right here in Wānaka.
This is a huge milestone for our small local team and one we are incredibly proud of.
RTI - Return to Independence helps people recover safely at home after an injury or hospital stay for short term needs - THIS IS NEW AND EXCITING and is due to Vic's hard work, I have been making her lots of coffees.

MI - Maximising Independence supports people to regain confidence and independence after illness or injury for long term care.

ACC Nursing Care - provides Registered Nurse support for people with more complex health needs in the community.
This means we can now offer our quality care to more of you, ensuring you have the choice to stay in the place you love, surrounded by the people you care about.
A sincere thank you to Solora and your wonderful team for helping us learn the ropes and supporting us through the RTI process. To Vic who has been put through the wringer and continues to come up with the goods. There has been a lot to learn, but we are excited for what this means for healthcare at home in Wānaka.
For our team, we can smile, knowing we are one step closer to making sure everyone in our community has access to personal, high quality care when they need it most.
Here's to helping you live your life, your way.
Do you like my artist rendition of the team jumping for joy? Can you guess who they are?
Come and find us here
https://www.personalhomecare.co.nz

12/05/2026

Today, on International Nurses Day, I wanted to pause and honour the nurses who quietly hold so much of the world together.
You walk into homes and hospitals carrying not just clinical skill, but calmness, courage, compassion, and humanity.
You sit beside fear, grief, pain, uncertainty, and manage to bring comfort.
You advocate fiercely, love deeply, and continue showing up even on the hardest days.
Over recent weeks my day has started by reading the nurses’ reports documenting the night of care before. Hour by hour, they wrote of every gentle repositioning, every reassuring word, every medication given with tenderness, every quiet observation through the night. Reading those notes felt sacred to me. A story of human care unfolding in real time.
The depth of presence, compassion, attentiveness, and dignity shown in those moments is something words can never fully capture.
There is something profoundly poetic about witnessing nurses carry another human being safely and lovingly through their final journey. It is beautiful beyond description.
This tribute is for the nurses in my life who have held hands through final breaths, travelled alongside people through impossible journeys, and reminded others they are never alone.
Nursing is not just a profession.
It is presence.
It is resilience.
It is heart work.
To every nurse in our PHC whānau and across the world, thank you for the emotional weight you carry, the gentleness you bring, and the difference you make every single day.
You may never fully realise how many lives you have changed simply by caring.
Happy International Nurses Day 🤍
A special thank you to the nurses who have impacted my life: Penny Fisher, Rosie Burridge, Kim Taylor, Stella Keown and Victoria Schutte. I am honoured to have worked with you all.
Sarah Holmes
PHC owner

04/05/2026

Over the years I have heard comments from clients here in Wānaka that have never sat right with me.
“I can’t do that… my carer wouldn’t like it.”
“I had to wait in my chair for four hours to have my fire lit and a shower.”
“I don’t know if care will come today or what time.”
“I don’t feel safe with the people coming into my home"
"I feel pressured to move out of my home"
This is exactly why Personal Home Care works hard to provide QUALITY CARE.
Quality Care doesn't take away your independence, it protects it.
Quality Care doesn't leave you waiting, it brings certainty.
Quality Care doesn't make you feel unsafe, it is reassuring.
It’s about dignity.
It’s about consistency.
It’s about knowing who is coming, when they are coming, and feeling comfortable when they arrive.
At PHC, we believe Quality Care should fit around your life, not the other way around.
PHC is striving for a higher standard in normal Care. We are aiming to provide Quality Care.
We are committed to improving:
Greater reliability: safe familiar faces in your home
Clear communication: You can know when and who is coming
Accountability: Supportive management who are local
Listening: Your choices determine your Care
This isn’t a one time promise. It’s an ongoing standard we hold ourselves to and continue to provide each day.
Because staying in your own home should feel safe, supported, and is completely your choice.

22/04/2026

Some journeys will stay with me forever. 💛
Right now I have the privilege of travelling with a very special client who has faced more challenges than most and kept going with a strength and determination that truly humbled us.
Over time, care became so much more than tasks and routines. It became connection, trust, and shared moments, the kind that reminded us exactly why we do what we do.
To honour her journey and say goodbye, I have created something a little different…
A song, and a video, capturing the highs, the hurdles, and everything in between. From care moments, to travelling together across the world as she stepped into her next chapter here in Mexico 🇲🇽
This isn’t just a story about overcoming adversity.
It’s a story about what can happen when the right support, the right people, and the right belief come together.
At PHC, we don’t just provide care, we stand beside people as they rebuild, rediscover, and redefine what’s possible. Even if our link in the journey is small, we care big.
We are so proud to have been part of this journey. And even prouder to see her now, living her next chapter with courage and independence.
Have a watch, this one means a lot to us.
This is for you Susan and Bernard❤️

19/03/2026

We recently had the privilege of supporting a lovely couple through their ACC recovery journey🤍
Working alongside ACC and the wider health system, our role was to provide short-term support while also helping guide them toward accessing their fully funded Te Whatu Ora (DHB) services for ongoing care.
We pride ourselves on collaborating closely and navigating the health network in a way that is seamless, respectful, and centred around each person’s needs.
These short-term supports are incredibly rewarding for our team. Being able to step in during a vulnerable time, provide stability, and then help transition care appropriately is what community care is all about. We love it!
We are so grateful to have received such kind feedback from this couple, who shared their appreciation for the wonderful team of carers who supported them.
Wishing them both all the very best in their continued recovery.
Caring for them was our pleasure.

10/03/2026

To the caregivers of Aotearoa,
(especially our own here in Wānaka and at PHC)
Thank you for the quiet work you do every day. The work that rarely makes headlines, but changes lives in ways that matter deeply.
Thank you for the patience you bring into people’s homes.
For the kindness you offer when someone feels vulnerable.
For the calm reassurance you provide when families are worried.
I understand that caregiving is not easy work.
It asks for compassion, resilience, and heart.
I see you show up each day to give that with generosity and grace.
You sit, you listen, you support. Often it’s the small moments that mean the most.
Across our country there are thousands of caregivers quietly helping people stay safe, independent, and cared for. That work is appreciated.
Our service is owned by a carer and managed by carers. When I travel, the job title I put on my paperwork is ‘caregiver’. That is the job I am most proud of and that is who I am.
From myself as director, through to our admin and our nurse team, every member of our team genuinely cares about our community and our people.
Everyone who does this work deserves to feel valued, supported, and part of a team that understands the responsibility and privilege of caring for others. You deserve support.
So today I say thank you to you all. Your work makes a difference.
And if you are a caregiver looking for a team that values the work you do, we would love to meet you here, at home, in Wānaka.
We have a beautiful community, a kind team, and meaningful work.
Remember, those who care for others should be cared for too. Look after yourself. Selfcare before workcare.
Stay safe out there,
Nga mihi nui,
Sarah

04/02/2026

Such a real need for our community. ❤️

A Wānaka man caring for his 65-year-old wife, who has dementia, has called on the government to explain what it plans to do about the "desperate...

23/12/2025

This year has been filled to the brim with action for us at PHC.
My main focus this year was to help our quality care become more accessible to everyone. We worked really hard to achieve this.
In 2025 we gave it our best and:
We are now certified with Nga Paraewa Health and Disabilty service standards. This was a big effort and took almost 8 months to achieve.
This means we can also work with ACC. We have the Maximising Independence contract and the Nursing contract for our area which we will action next year.
We are still pinching ourselves that all this happened this year. After almost 4 years of managing PHC in our special community I still feel privileged to be doing this work. I am enthusiastic about what we can achieve together next year. For now, let’s kick back and celebrate together.
Merry Christmas everyone,
Sarah Holmes
I had some fun with AI on this video. For your enjoyment.