Renewed focus for Hospice East Rand
Hospice East Rand has been serving the community with great pride for over 30 years, opening its doors in 1986.
Its name is synonymous with exceptional care for families whose loved ones have been diagnosed with a life-limiting illness.
Now, with an increase in demand for home-based care, coupled with a decline in admission to its in-patient unit, Hospice is responding to community needs.
• Read: Community support Hospice
In-Patient care will no longer be offered, leaving Hospice to do what it does best – care for patients and families at home.
The association covers Benoni, Boksburg, Brakpan, Springs, Nigel, Heidelberg, Kempton Park, Germiston, Edenvale and Bedfordview and each town has its own dedicated nursing staff to ensure hands-on caring within these communities.
The Hospice home visit teams have a medical doctor, nursing sister, social worker and also specially trained care workers available who can offer 24-hour care to patients in the comfort of their homes.
Nurse Monica Mabuza is the Hospice nurse for the Springs area.
Hospice also offers a daycare programme, in Benoni, once a week and twice a week in Vosloorus for patients well enough to attend, as well as helping families through their bereavement period, offering counselling and emotional support services.
• Also read: New PRO for Hospice East Rand
Common misconceptions
• Hospice is not a “place” – it is the offer of specialised care for those facing a life-limiting illness, their families and their carers.
• There is a common belief that a hospice is where patients go to die.
That is not true.
Hospice care is not only for people with a life-limiting illness and a few weeks or days left to live.
We offer support and care for a patient right from the time of diagnosis and recommend contacting Hospice for support sooner rather than later.
• Hospice East Rand covers the entire East Rand region – not only Benoni.
• Hospice home-based care is available for people suffering from a variety of potentially life limiting illnesses – not only cancer.
“If you or a family member is struggling to cope with a life threatening illness or battling to come to terms with a recent diagnosis of a serious illness, we would like to assist and support you,” says administration manager Brenda Bisschoff.
Contact intake officer Sr Lethiwe Masina at Hospice on 011 422-1531 (mornings only) if you or a loved one is in need of care.
