"WE GIVE CARE, WOULD YOU CARE TO GIVE"

Hospice Cares for the Dying because They are still Living:

Hospice is a place you could go to for support when you need it most …

Where Quality of Life is the utmost priority!

The process of dying makes us aware of the Precious gift of Life, especially when we, or a member of our family, do not have much longer to live.  So many people fear that Hospice is involved only because someone is dying.  This is not so.  We are involved because someone is Living.

We give Total Care for the patient and his or her family, by empowering them to cope with the Realities of Life and Death.

Hospice provides a service within the security and safety of the patient’s own home, with comforting knowledge that their traumatic experience is being shared with a Medically Directed, Nurse Co-ordinated, Multi-disciplinary team of specially trained Professionals and Volunteers.

Hospice cares on the basis of need – and not who can afford…!

Because of our dedicated Mission – No-one is ever denied Hospice care because they cannot afford to pay for it.  However, we are totally dependent on public donations.

Hospice West Gauteng is a Registered Non-profit organization, which is entirely dependant on donations as well as our own fundraising efforts.  We receive no Government funding, although the Government recognizes the tremendous work that is done by Hospice.

WHO CONTACTS HOSPICE?

Hospice empowers and cares for Terminal Cancer, HIV/AIDS and Motor Neuron Disease patients.  Hospice Care is only provided if an approach is made by the patient, by a loved one, or by someone directly concerned with the patient, such as the medical practitioner, hospital, social worker, clinic or clergyman.  Such calls are immediately dealt with by trained staff, who channel the request for care to the other members of the Hospice team,

SERVICES PROVIDED:

Home Care - a multi-disciplinary team consisting of an experienced, Palliatively trained Nurse and a Caregiver, who make themselves available to visit the patient in his or her own home – to assist with medical care, and emotional support.

Pain & Symptom Control – To ensure comfort, members of the Hospice team will introduce methods to control symptoms such as pain, nausea, constipation, incontinence, bed sores, disturbed sleep patterns or dietary problems.

Patient and Family Counselling – the unique dynamics which arise when a loved one is diagnosed as having a progressive illness, may lead to problems even in a close-knit family unit.  Hospice offers support to both patient and family members to enhance understanding and communication, to address the individual fears and needs of each member, and to directly involve the patient and his or her loved ones, in making effective and meaningful decisions regarding their lives.

Bereavement Counselling – We provide comfort and emotional support to the family following the death of their loved one.  We also offer bereavement support to anyone who has lost a loved person through illness, an accident or suicide.  Bereavement counselling is available for as long as it is needed.

Medicines/Drugs – Patients are encouraged to continue obtaining medicines from their existing source, eg hospital, general practitioner or pharmacist.

Hire of Equipment – hospice has a range of equipment, which can be loaned, at a donation, and

this can be arranged through the Hospice Nursing Sister.  The equipment includes commodes, bedpans, wheelchairs, walking aids, etc.  It is essential that equipment is returned to Hospice when no longer required.

SUPPORT GROUPS:

Day Care Support Group – Patients have a choice to attend Hospice once a week to enjoy a social outing.  Activities such as handcraft, art subjects, listening to music, emotional support and chatting with other patients are encouraged – allowing family members to enjoy some free time.  A scrumptious tea and lunch is also provided.

People with AIDS Support Group – Our AIDS patients attend a weekly meeting whereby, several crafts and arts are hand made, which then will be sold for them to be able to earn a bit of an income…  We provide them with lunch and transport…  The support shown between the patients in this support group is so profound.

TRAINING COURSES:

All bookings to be made through our office, (011) 953-4863; Costs & Dates are also available at the office or on our Diary of events.

Counselling Skills- (14 weeks, 3 hours per week) The course is aimed at equipping & empowering you to understand and implement true communication skills.  The course teaches you to know how to use counselling skills to help you and your client to explore and understand the emotions that lead to conflict within.  Life skills assists you to empower and identify choices available in order to take 100% responsibility and charge of you life.  We all need to be heard… Skills covered:  listening, problem solving model, reflecting, stages of loss, acknowledging, victim triangle, empathy, attitude & choice, questioning, dynamics of death & dying, exploring, holistic care, confrontation, care for self, empowering, feelings & their purpose.  This course is held at our Support Centre in Krugersdorp

Understanding Loss – (1 day or 2 hours) Loss is a reality which occur in our lives from the day that we are born…  losses come in different packages with different feelings and contents, even though our content of the loss is different our feelings are the same, the aims of this programme are to empower you to understand what loss is, how loss affects us, understanding feelings associated with loss, the stages of loss, how to deal with someone experiencing loss and what you can do as a caring professional.

How to start a support group – (6-8 weeks, 4 hours per week) Skills on how to start & run a support group, group dynamics, communication skills are covered to ensure the quality of the support group, resources & brainstorming on specific support groups.

Bereavement – (3 days) Dynamics of death and dying, the process of grief, the experience of bereavement.  It provides a close and caring environment in which grief can be shared in an effort to ease the very personal burden of bereavement.  Counsellors also attend this course if they feel the want to work specifically with bereavement patients.

AIDS workshop – (1 day) An holistic approach to HIV/AIDS, how to cope and care for those with HIV/AIDS, Empowerment skills to those infected and affected with HIV/AIDS.

Debriefing – (1 or 2 days) A course aimed at counsellors & staff doing HIV testing & counselling.  The programme includes: Brainstorming of problems & challenges, off loading & debriefing, creative sharing (drawing, music, relaxation exercises), problem solving (holistic living, communication, skills), power of attitude, empowerment tools, way forward and caring for self.  A gift of love is given to each participant.

Mission Statement:

Our Hospice Generously provides quality palliative care to all affected by the realities of a life threatening illness!

Area of Service:

Approximate radius of 45km from our Administrative Office based in Krugersdorp, extending across the whole of the West Rand area.  Included in our area is the numerous previously disadvantaged communities such as; Munsieville, Kagiso, Toekomsrus, Mohlakeng, Dobsonville etc.

Hospice West Gauteng offers the following Services:

• Palliative care for Cancer, HIV/AIDS & Motor Neuron Disease

(Physical, Emotional, Social & Spiritual Care)

• Home Based Care
• Support Groups – Cancer, HIV, Bereavement
• Bereavement Care & Support
• Pastoral supportive service
• Empowerment Training e.g. AIDS Workshops, Basic Life & Communication Skills

Hospice is both a Programme and a Philosophy of Total Care, which is dedicated to improve the Quality of Life for persons suffering with life-threatening diseases such as; Cancer, HIV/AIDS and Motor Neuron. Our service is available to the patient and his/her affected family members, all according to their needs and wishes, with the comforting knowledge that their Traumatic experience is being shared with a Multi-disciplinary Team of Palliative Trained Professional Nurses and Trained Volunteers.  Our focus of Care acknowledges that the patient is Still Living and has a Right to live to the end with Quality and Dignity, therefore the team ensures Care on Physical, Emotional, Social and Spiritual Levels and makes use of available resources and networking to make this possible.  This unique team consist of several departments i.e. Patient Care, Training & Education, Day Care, Bereavement and Mentoring.

All of our programmes of care are provided to the patient and his/her immediate family without any expectation of payment.

Benefits to the Donor

• Tax Exemption Benefits

Hospice West Gauteng has been approved as a Public Benefit organization in terms of section 30 of the Income Tax Act.

Hospice West Gauteng has also been approved for purposes of section 21 and donations to Hospice West Gauteng will be tax deductible in the hands of the donors in terms of and subject to the limitations prescribed in section 21 of the Act.

Our Tax Exemption Number:  Pending

• Philanthropy

“To give money is an easy matter and in any man’s power.  But to decide to whom to give it, and how large and when, and for what purpose and how, is neither in every man’s power – nor an easy matter.  Hence it is that such excellence is rare, praise worthy and noble.”                                           Aristotle

“No one has ever become poor by giving…” Anne Frank

“In good times and in bad… we know people give because you meet needs NOT because you have needs!!...”

Sustainability

We sustain our services by means of Corporate Funding, Self-Generated income i.e. fundraising events, direct mail campaigns and Donations from the public sector and donations from being beneficiaries of charity events.  We have Charity shops, selling donated goods.  Some of our fundraising events, which assists us in sustainability is our Annual Wortel Fees / Carrot Carnival and the Women’s Empowerment Breakfast just to mention a few.

In the event that funding is granted for a specific project in a specified period, Hospice in the West will take responsibility for continuing the necessary programs and applying for funding to sustain it.