Listening to Families

There is increasing pressure on the services that provide health advice and support to individuals and families in both the education and health sectors. An individual or family’s journey to wellness is taking longer, and there are often multiple challenges on the way. Making this journey can be overwhelming and isolating. There are so many questions. Having answers to these questions can reduce the levels of stress for an individual and their whānau. The Maia Health Foundation is taking these issues seriously, and has produced a range of videos, covering some key health conditions, to make a real difference.

Listening to Families is a grassroots solution, providing families access to the answers to commonly asked questions in an easy-to-use, conversational video format. The videos can be watched, shared, and discussed in multiple settings – in the home, with a group in the community or with an education or health professional. When an answer is provided in an individual consultation it can be hard to remember all the details that need to be shared and discussed with other members of the family. The Listening to Families video resources ensure that the answers are always available.

The questions asked in the Listening to Families videos come directly from families with the answers provided by trusted specialists who have volunteered their time to be part of this Canterbury-based community project. Through these videos we aim to educate and empower families, reducing the feelings of isolation that so often come hand-in-hand with health challenges. They also provide links to trusted resources that can be used to positively support a family’s journey.

The information on the Listening to Families website and in the video clips is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

The Listening to Families resource is a valuable and immediate tool to access targeted, advice on some big health and wellbeing challenges facing our whānau and communities. In these videos, we’ve had real-life questions from families answered by trusted specialists.

The Listening to Families video series will help those supporting our young people to understand what’s going on in the young person’s brain, suggest tools and tactics to use every day, and provide ideas of positive, proactive steps to support the child. Health practitioners or educators can share the videos with patients or families either one-to-one or in group work. The format of the videos is ideal for a group setting.

Links to the Listening to Families videos can be shared to support repeat viewing in the home and sharing with other members of the family or extended whānau.

General topics that may interest IDFNZ families include topics such as : Anxiety, Allergies and Anaphylaxis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Coeliac Disease, GP Care, and much more to explore,  at https://www.listeningtofamilies.co.nz/#Topics.

For Biliary Atresia families:

In the Listening to Families videos, feature real-life questions from families answered by trusted specialists, including on the topic of Biliary Atresia and Liver Transplant. These videos will help you understand what’s going on in your child’s brain, suggest tools and tactics to use every day, and provide ideas of positive, proactive steps to support your child. Links to trusted resources are also provided.

The Listening to Families video’s are free. You can watch them in your own environment and at a pace that suits you, and you can share the videos with other members of your family, extended whānau, or friends facing similar challenges. You can also discuss with your health professional or your child’s school.

IDFNZ member Vivian Wong and Professor Andrew Day feature in the latest Listening to Families video, talking about Vivian’s experience with baby Sophie being diagnosed with Biliary Atresia and going through liver transplant. We encourage any new members diagnosed with Biliary Atresia to take time to watch/ listen to this series of short videos which cover many of the questions and concerns you may have.  You can view this video at https://www.listeningtofamilie...

Click here to read Sophie's Story