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Hospice Bloemfontein

The Companion

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May 1, 2020

- Hospice Bloemfontein

Hospice workers travel with and care for people during the last stretch of their journey. We become friends who support, listen, and care – unconditionally and compassionately. In return, we get so much back. Dealing with death teaches us more about life than life itself can ever do. We learn to cherish each moment and understand that every breath is a miracle.

What is hospice and palliative care?

Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with a life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical psychosocial and spiritual. – WHO definition of Palliative Care.

Meet some of our Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT), members


The MDT comprises professionals and specifically trained volunteers who act as companions to patients and their loved ones. The MDT offers patients the best possible care, including physical, psychosocial, and spiritual aspects. Apart from the physician, nurses, and companions, the MDT includes a counsellor, occupational therapist, pharmacist, and clergy.

Nurses

Although the hospice care team is multi-disciplinary, nurses, primarily deal with patients and families. Hence, nurses fulfil many roles ranging from the caregiver, teacher, consultant and confident, to advocate. Worldwide, nurses provide an invaluable service, balancing empathy and compassion with the skills to help transform lives. Our hospice nurses working long, sometimes unsociable hours. They inspire us with their devotion and deserve all the accolades they receive. To the three ladies who have been part of Hospice Bloemfontein, from the start – we salute you!

Welcome to our newly appointed professional nurse! Sr. Elsabé Oberholzer has joined Hospice Bloemfontein at the beginning of January 2020, after working as HR Manager at Roseparek Hospital for many years. We wish her a fulfilling and meaningful career at Hospice.

Palliative Care Physician

Our nurses are accompanied by a palliative physician, Dr Dalene van Jaarsveld. Despite having a full-time job, Dr van Jaarsveld regularly visits Hospice patients during weekends or after hours. She also attends Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) meetings, discussing the best care for the patients, and is a member of our Board of Directors.

Training

We are also involved in various training programs. Not only do ew train new volunteers for Hospice Bloemfontein, but also offer and facilitate clinical palliative, training, communication in palliative care, and training in the psycho-social and spiritual aspects of end-of-life care. Several training programs are planned for 2020 – details will be released soon.

Thank you!

To make the care and services that we provide possible, we rely heavily on the ongoing support of the community. We would like to thank all of those who support us, whether through donations, gifts, financial support, or helping us to plan fun fundraiser events.

“One of the marvellous things about community is that it enables us to welcome and help people in a way we couldn’t as individuals” – Jean Vanier.

We receive so much support from the community including hampers, meals, vouchers, beds, wheelchairs, walkers, other medical equipment, clothes, blankets, and cash (monthly donations, one-off donations, or an envelope filled with hard-earned savings). Every small gesture makes such a big difference, more than you might realise. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

A special thank you to Mrs Sonia Twigge who so kindly and generously admits our Hospice patients to her facilities for end-of-life care, pain management and respite care. Her welcoming and compassionate staff offers so much support to the patients and their loved ones. You make an enormous difference in so many lives.

Cecil Nurse.

The Modern Office. Designed. Delivered.


Cecil Nurse who supplied us with our office furniture – the tables, chairs, and cabinet are just perfect. Thank you, Eugene Coetzee and Ronel du Toit.

Our office space is also a “gift” – thank you Henriette Hoon.

What is new in 2020?

Grief Support Groups

No matter how much you prepare yourself for pain, loss, grief, or change you will still have to feel it when it happens. And when it happens, Hospice Bloemfontein is there to support you. We are planning monthly bereavement support groups, every last Tuesday of the month (at Berg en Dal Church, 5 – 6 pm). These groups will be facilitated by rev. Tlagu Molokoane and by Hanneke Lubbe.

A 7-day training session took place in January for our newly employed nurse and volunteer sisters. Sr Joan Marston facilitated this introduction to Palliative Nursing.

St. Vincent de Paul of the Sacred Heart Cathedral has kindly offered to donate food to those hospice families who need it the most. They provide fresh and delicious food from Woolworths once a week. A big thank you to Blanche Mpiwa for organising that.

Food Donations

With Desiree Ngxande, Gert and Patricia Bruintjies who are distributing the food and waiting for our collection. 5 Reasons for hospice care
  1. Quality of Live
  2. Symptoms and Pain Management
  3. Emotional Support and Education
  4. Spiritual Care
  5. Grief Support
We need you Our specialist care is provided completely free of charge, but it is not without cost. We want to guarantee these vital services to all who need it – now, and in the future. However, we cannot continue being there for local people without your help.

Hospice Bloemfontein receives limited funding and most of the cost for our care is funded through donations and the generosity of those who believe in the difference we make for people facing one of the most difficult journeys in life. Important Dates
4 Feb
World Cancer Day
8 Mar
International Women’s Day (just because… :-D)
24 Mar
World TB Day
3-10 May
Hospice Week South Africa
12 May
International Nurses Day
9 Aug
National Women’s Day
10 Oct
World Hospice and Palliative Care Day
5 Dec
International Volunteer Day
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Conference, Hospice Bloemfontein

Attending and presenting at 2 recent conferences – Rome and Minsk

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November 22, 2018

- Conference, Hospice Bloemfontein

I recently had the great privilege of being invited to speak at two international conferences, one in Rome and the other in Minsk. It was wonderful to meet up with old friends, make new friends and be excited together at the development of palliative care for children across the world, although there is still so much to be done.

The Conference in Rome was the Maruzza Congress: 4th Global Gathering on Paediatric Palliative Care 24-27 October. This congress takes place every two years and this year brought together paediatric palliative care leaders, practitioners, educators, and researchers from 40 countries from around the world. The theme was “Out of the Box” and began with a discussion on “Time” looking at the concept from both a scientific and philosophical viewpoint. It ended with a very exciting look at new technology developed by a Japanese airline that could have an important impact on taking health care into very remote regions.

At the opening session, I was invited to present a new WHO Guide – Integrating Palliative Care and Symptom Relief into Paediatrics. A WHO Guide for Health Care Planners, Implementers and Managers for which I am a contributing author. This Guide is available on the WHO website and can be freely downloaded along with its companion guides Integrating Palliative Care and Symptom Relief into the response to humanitarian emergencies and crises, to which I also contributed; and integration into Primary Health Care. The Guides are not medical guidelines but rather focus on integration into health systems to support the UN Sustainable Development Goal for health- Universal Health Coverage which includes palliative care. It is important for these Guides to be promoted widely and for every government and palliative care organisation to make use of them. Together with Dr Michelle Meiring from Cape Town, we presented a working session on PPC in acute infections referencing Ebola.

My final plenary presentation at the end of the conference was on Working with Policy Makers- partners in change. From many years of working with wonderful colleagues in advocacy at provincial, national and global level I looked at where we had been able to influence policy especially at global level and told of key successes especially the influential World Health Assembly Resolution on palliative care which has been accepted by all countries ( I was involved in writing this to ensure the inclusion of children and was present at this WHA in Geneva in 2015).

The Conference in Minsk was on The Child’s Right to Paediatric Palliative Care and was supported by UNICEF, the Human Rights Commission, the Belarusian government and the EU. As paediatric palliative care leaders have recently established a regional network – the Association for Children’s Palliative for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ACPEECA) my presentation was on lessons learned from developing the International Children’s Palliative Care Network and how we developed the ICPCN from a discussion amongst a few dedicated children’s leaders in Seoul 2005 to a global organization recognized as the international body for paediatric palliative care by WHO and the UN and with membership in 125 countries. I was honoured to be invited to be a consultant and adviser to ACPEECA and look forward to furthering relationships in the region.

My second presentation was during a session on working as an interdisciplinary team where my presentation was on the Role of the Nurse in a paediatric palliative care team. We had excellent discussions and it was good to see that spiritual care was well- represented in this conference.

The world of children’s palliative care is full of the most passionate and compassionate practitioners, educators, researchers and advocates who work tirelessly for the right of children to palliative care. We believe it is a humanitarian imperative.

 

Click on any of the images below to download the corresponding e-book.


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Hospice Bloemfontein

Who is eligible for care

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November 1, 2018

- Hospice Bloemfontein

Any person, and their family, who are faced with a life-limiting illness, is welcome. No one is turned away, regardless of their age, race, religion or financial circumstances

These illnesses include, but aren’t limited to:

  • HIV | Aids
  • Cancer
  • Progressive neurological disorders
  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
  • End-stage cardiac, renal, respiratory or hepatic disorders
  • Motor neurone disease (MDR)
  • Children with chronic disorders

To find out more about how you can help contact us.

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Hospice Bloemfontein, Hospiz Schloss Bernstorf

Partner Hospice – Hospiz Schloss Bernstorf

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July 27, 2018

- Hospice Bloemfontein, Hospiz Schloss Bernstorf

July 2018 – We had the privilege to visit our partner hospice in Germany, Hospiz Schloss Bernstorf and report on our work in Bloemfontein.

It is heartwarming to be welcomed so generously in such a beautiful place and to enjoy the support from people who share the same vision and passion.

We need support to continue with the work we do – and they help us getting that support. 

We thank you, Hospiz Schloss Bernstorf!

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Hospice Bloemfontein

Hospice Bloemfontein Golf Day

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July 27, 2018

- Hospice Bloemfontein

Hospice Bloemfontein is holding their very first Golf Day at the Bloemfontein Golf Club on the 7th of September 2018 and we trust that this event will be a highlight not only for Hospice but also in the club’s calendar for 2018 and that we will attract a full field.

This will also be the main fundraising event in 2018 for Hospice Bloemfontein.

The competition is a Better Ball Stableford, Costs of advertising:

– Tees and Greens: R2000.00 each.
– 1st, 10th, 9th, 15th and 18th tees: R3000.00 each.
– Putting green, 16th tee and front-of-house areas: R4000.00 each.
– Area of the front entrance of club (opposite parking area): R4000.00

Should your company wish to make up a four-ball to play in this golf day, please contact Lynette Jonker (lynettejonker221156@gmail.com) or (cell number: 082 331 3548).

Fee per player: R325.00 (R1 300.00 per four-ball), which includes a Half Way House.

Alternatively, you may wish to donate a prize, or prizes, which are also very needed and necessary to make this a successful day.

All sponsors’ names appear on a list which is handed to all competitors on this day. Or, if you wish to be involved in Hospice Bloemfontein in any other way, you are welcome to contact us.

Your support will help create a community where nobody needs to take the last steps of their life’s journey on their own.

We thank you for your support!

View Event on FaceBook

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Hospice Bloemfontein, Training, Volunteer

Training Orientation Day, 3 February 2018

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February 1, 2018

- Hospice Bloemfontein, Training, Volunteer

We are planning another Training Course for hospice volunteers, and we are inviting anyone who would want to know more about this training to come and join us at the meeting.

We will speak briefly of the meaning and history of hospice, who we are reaching with hospice care, and the training we are offering.

We need people with many different interests and skills to be part of the Hospice programme.

Trained volunteers are needed for home visits, administration, fundraising, awareness-raising, transport of patients to a planned Day Care, shopping and much more.

The training will be over a period of 7 weeks, once a week.

When: Saturday 3rd February 2018.
Venue: Berg en Dal Dutch Reformed Church, Dan Pienaar.
Time: 9 – 11 am.

For information contact: Hanneke: (076) 912-9490Joan: ‭(082) 296-4367

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Hospice Bloemfontein, Hospiz Schloss Bernstorf

Hospiz Schloss Bernstorf

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February 1, 2018

- Hospice Bloemfontein, Hospiz Schloss Bernstorf

Hospiz Schloss Bernstorf.  When I visited this beautiful place in March last year, I met the friendliest and most helpful people who are truly interested in and supportive of our work here in Bloemfontein.

When I went to see them again in January, I was welcomed with open arms (and a delicious lunch!) – and with excitement, we started to plan ways of working together. Thank you dr. Röhr and dr. Britta Borgwald for your advice, support and enthusiasm!  HOSPIZ SCHLOSS BERNSTORF


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Hospice Bloemfontein, ZET Retreats

ZET Retreats & Workshops and Hospice Bloemfontein.

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February 1, 2018

- Hospice Bloemfontein, ZET Retreats

The story of the beautiful new Rietjiesvlei Labyrinth in Bloemfontein is the result of a collaboration and serendipitous discovery between ZET Retreats & Workshops and Hospice Bloemfontein.

As part of her Certification as a Veriditas-trained labyrinth facilitator, Zarine Roodt started with a process of setting up a series of facilitated labyrinth walking events. The first took place in Zarine’s hometown of Bloemfontein on 11 November and took the form of a Dedication Ceremony for Hospice Bloemfontein, a holistic and compassion-focused palliative care service in the city.

Her next event will be at the Chartres-style Schoongezicht Labyrinth on the Rustenberg Wine Estate in Stellenbosch. To create the Rietjiesvlei Labyrinth, Zarine and Hospice Bloemfontein General Manager, Hanneke Maschke-Lubbe, worked closely with local architect Jan Ras, who was also responsible for devising a temporary labyrinth to accommodate 70 guests for Zarine’s 50th birthday 10 years ago, when labyrinths initially piqued her interest.

The result of the collaboration is a truly sacred space in the heart of Bloemfontein.

The classic seven-circuit Rietjiesvlei Labyrinth will remain as a permanent feature in the city and will be open to Hospice volunteers, patients and their families.

The ceremony was attended by volunteer workers who all brought along a symbolic token representing their personal inspiration for signing up as Hospice volunteers. Although they walked the labyrinth as a group, each person expressed afterwards that it was a meaningful yet extremely personal experience for them. Labyrinths are a feature at many hospices and specialised care facilities across the world.

The therapeutic benefits of walking a labyrinth in this specific care sector are many.

For hospice patients and their loved ones, walking a labyrinth can help to bring body, mind and spirit in harmony; have a calming influence and help people to release their fear, stress or grief; create a sense of stillness to help people find clarity about decisions that may impact themselves or their loved ones; and it creates an opportunity for introspection and acceptance in dealing with the reality of loss or death.

For hospice volunteers and companions, the meditative effect of walking labyrinth pens a space for reflection and for centring amidst the emotional impact that can be experienced with the work they do. But it also offers a sense of renewed resilience and vigour to continue withholding space for palliative care patients and their families.

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