Camdeboo Hospice opened its doors in 1998. It is a non-profit, non-government organisation serving the residents of Graaff-Reinet, a semi-rural town in the Dr Beyers Naude Local Municipality of the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa.
WHO WE ARE
Under the supervision of a CEO, Hospice employs office staff, nursing staff, and caregivers. An annually elected Board of volunteers from the community governs the Hospice. Over 1000 patients have been cared for by Camdeboo Hospice since its inception and at any one time, about 90 patients are being cared for. Funding comes from ongoing fund-raising activities, donations, and other organizations such as the National Lotteries Commission.
Camdeboo Hospice fills a gap in health services by providing a holistic home-based palliative care service to patients and their families living with life-threatening illnesses in Graaff-Reinet.
Hospice Professional Nurses receive intense and extensive training in palliative care and keep up to date on advancements made in this highly specialized field of nursing. Their team of Caregivers is empowered with the necessary skills to provide an empathetic, efficient, and professional holistic home-based service. Our 2 Nurses, working closely with the Caregivers, provide regular in-house and on-hand training and lectures on matters such as infection control, general hygiene, healthcare, bed-bathing, oral care, counseling, etc.
The Patient Care Program is led by our Professional Nurse in her capacity as Nursing Services manager. Together with the Staff Nurse, she oversees the work done by her team of 3 home-based caregivers who provide care and support to people living with HIV & AIDS, Cancer, TB, and Motor Neurone Disease.
Psychosocial services, including bereavement counseling and referrals to relevant specialists and/or government departments, are provided by our Nursing personnel.
A support system is in place for all staff, but particularly for the Caregivers, where they attend monthly individual debriefing sessions with a Professional Counsellor to motivate and encourage them to continue their services in what is often a stressful and sometimes traumatic calling.
Poverty relief is provided to our patients in the form of material support, but never in cash: monthly food supplements are issued to pediatric, TB, Cancer, and Category 2 and 3 HIV&AIDS patients; medical equipment is loaned to patients; basic medical supplies are provided; donations of good quality blankets and second-hand clothing is distributed whenever possible, etc.
OUR APPROACH
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE
To establish and control a Hospice program of total care, in accordance with the Standards of Care of the Hospice Palliative Care Association of South Africa, for the terminally ill patient and his or her family, in a non-racial and interdenominational manner which provides:
- A multi-disciplinary, coordinated continuum of community and hospital care.
- Palliative and supportive care to meet needs, which may arise out of physical, emotional, spiritual, social, and economic stresses associated with the final stages of illness, death, and bereavement.
- To promote within the community and within sectors of the medical services the concept of community care.