The hospice concept aims to create a familiar space for seriously ill people through holistic care, in which they have the right to live and die with dignity until the end.
Among other things, the hospice movement is committed to ensuring that
- people can die accompanied in a self-determined environment,
- The focus is on the needs of the dying person,
- information is provided on pain therapy aids and their use and
- Bereavement work is seen as an important part of hospice work.
The hospice idea is realized in various forms:
- in the direct accompaniment of the dying by outpatient hospice services/home care services
- by supporting and relieving relatives and friends in the dying person's environment
- in inpatient facilities. This includes
- Inpatient hospices
- Palliative care units (pain therapy)
- through public relations work and awareness-raising
- by recruiting, qualifying and supporting full-time and voluntary employees
In Aachen, in addition to the outpatient hospice groups and the inpatient hospice of the WPZ Wohn- und Pflegezentrum St. Philipp Neri (see old people's homes), the "Aachen Hospice Talks" provide a forum for all those interested in working together to help the idea of hospice achieve a breakthrough. On January 1, 2002, the Hospice Service Center for the City and District of Aachen was set up under the auspices of the Bildungswerk Aachen / Kommunikatives Handeln e. V. (Aachen Educational Association / Communicative Action). The aim of this office is to further network the initiatives in hospice work, to utilize resources and to further develop hospice work. The organization of hospice talks, public relations and educational work will continue to be ensured by the professional framework of this office. A key objective of this office is to provide the population with hospice services on a permanent basis. A permanent task of this office is to bring together and pass on information about hospice services in the city and district of Aachen. A hospice hotline has been set up for this purpose and is staffed twice a week.
An integral part of the hospice service center is the hospice hotline, where you can get answers to the following questions:
- What help is available if I have to care for a terminally ill person?
- Where can I find outpatient hospice groups? What help do they offer me?
- Where is there an inpatient hospice?
- Where do educational events on the subject of "Dying, death and mourning" take place?
- How do I get a health care proxy and living will?
- Where can I turn if I have lost someone?
- What options do I have to personalize the farewell?
- How can I volunteer in hospice work?
- Where can I find help and information about pain therapy?
Institutions interested in implementing the hospice idea in their facilities can also obtain information and support here.
Hospice service center (PDF)
Outpatient hospice work
Inpatient hospices are facilities that accompany people with incurable illnesses in the last phase of their lives when they can no longer be cared for at home. The focus is on palliative medical (pain-relieving) treatment and care, which is intended to improve the quality of life of the dying person, does not affect their dignity and excludes active euthanasia. Hospices are designed to meet the special needs of seriously ill people who are dying. They are specially equipped to provide palliative medical, palliative nursing, social and spiritual care.
Inpatient hospices (PDF)
Outpatient hospice work
The focus of outpatient hospice work is on dying people and their relatives with their needs and rights. An essential element of outpatient hospice work is the end-of-life care provided by volunteer hospice helpers. They are trained in special preparatory courses and are themselves supported and accompanied through regular meetings and are subject to a duty of confidentiality. Through their work, they want to make dying at home possible. The service is free of charge and is available to everyone, regardless of origin or religion.
Outpatient hospice work consists of regular and reliable visits at home by trained hospice helpers (once or twice a week, more often if necessary). They bring with them a willingness to talk openly and to listen, they relieve relatives by simply being there or running small errands, they provide assistance in dealing with life, dying, parting and grief.
Outpatient hospice work (PDF)