Palliative care is active and comprehensive care for patients suffering from severe and incurable diseases, which includes control of the symptoms of their diseases as well as psychological, social and spiritual support for patients and their families. Palliative care ensures the best possible quality of life in the last stages of the patient’s illness. Palliative care teams consist of professionals such as doctors, meds. nurses, social workers, psychologists, clergy and trained volunteers.

Hospice is an institution specialized in palliative care services that provides the best possible care in accordance with the concept of palliative care. Hospice care does not necessarily mean care in the hospice building itself, but rather the way in which these patients are cared for, regardless of whether they are at home, in a hospital, a nursing home or an inpatient unit. Hospices are not asylum institutions. Patients usually stay in hospices for 10 to 14 days. The most common reasons for admitting patients are: achieving the best medical control of severe disease symptoms such as pain, nausea, breathing problems, etc. , providing end-of-life care, psycho-social and spiritual support and the opportunity for the family to rest. Taking into account the nature of the diseases of the patients treated by the hospice, it happens that a certain number of patients in these institutions also die.

All services provided by BELhospice are completely free! This is consistent with the basic principles of hospice/palliative care.

The BELhospice team (doctor, nurse and social worker) visits patients in their homes and after examining the medical history, examining the patient and assessing the social status, proposes a plan for further care, suggests therapy to control pain and other symptoms of the disease, as well as adequate care (written report selected doctor). Team members, in accordance with the needs and wishes of the patient and family, continue continuous medical care with psycho-social-spiritual support until the end of the patient’s life and during the mourning period. If necessary, they include other team members: a psychologist, a clergyman and volunteers.

The most common reasons for admitting patients are – achieving the best medical control of disease symptoms such as pain, nausea, breathing problems, etc., providing care at the end of life as well as psycho-social and spiritual support.

Patients who need palliative care can be referred to the BELhospice center by doctors and other health professionals and their associates from all levels of health care, as well as professionals from social care institutions or patient associations.

Patients and their families can contact our center directly: telephone contact 011 33 43 311; e-mail address office@belhospice.org or in person, by coming to our premises with prior announcement of the visit.

For adult users, BELhospice provides services only to cancer patients.

For children and young people, BELhospice provides services for all life-limiting diagnoses.