The Palliative Care department is intended for terminally ill people who, for various reasons, cannot be cared for at home and require constant care.
A team of nurses and volunteers, led by Dr. E. De Mont and Head Nurse K. Sercu, is especially trained in palliative care. Other care and service providers join them in the same spirit: the psychologist, the physiotherapist, the pastoral service, the social nurse, the dietician, etc.
The palliative care unit team stays in touch with the relevant home care providers or the hospital. A weekly multidisciplinary consultation provides a continuous circle of care around the patients and their environment. Attention to pain control, relieving discomforts and annoying symptoms is the first concern. Care is provided in close and active consultation with the patients and their families, with great respect for their personal choices.
Emotional support, attentive nursing and warm closeness are of utmost importance. Our aim is to contribute to a relaxed relationship between the sick and their families in a homely atmosphere. This means that the caregivers have a great willingness to listen, without imposing anything. If desirable and possible, we also like to consider whether a stay at home, in the most familiar surroundings, is feasible.
The small, homely ward with 6 individual rooms places special emphasis on comfort, hospitality, kind nearness and peace and quiet. Each room has room for the immediate family to stay. There is a cosy central living room and a cooking corner to prepare something special, a quiet room, a bathroom with a high-low bathtub, etc.
The unit is accessible via a separate entrance. All visitors, including children, are always welcome, as long as the patient is okay with it. Pets are also allowed.
