Education

Palliative care and hospice work in Münster

Dr. Andreas Stähli, director of the academy of Johannes-Hospiz, suffragan Dr. Stefan Zekorn, deacon Klaus Willmer, pastor at the university clinics, and Dr. Norbert Schulze-Kalthoff from the City of Münster discussed under the heading “Palliative Care and Hospice Work in Münster” different offers by the city and the church at the College of Philosophy and Theology in Münster on the 3rd of November. The event had been organized by the academy “Franz Hitze Haus” and the City Committee of Catholics in Münster.

Suffragan Zekorn refered to the venue just beside Johannes-Hospiz and said: “The seriously ill dying persons must not be pushed to the fringe but must be taken back into the middle of our society.” He pointed out further more that is was important to talk with one another about death and dying without constraint. “We must use public relations to sharpen our awareness of the problem and we can make clear that it is very important to accompany the dying”, he emphasized.

Andreas Stähli explained the meaning of the term “palliative care”. The internationally acknowledged approach wants to improve the quality of life of people suffering from a life-threatening disease and their families. “Family is a great value in palliative care”, he said. “Who thinks and acts without family and friends, does not think and act in a hospice way.” Stähli gave a survey of the palliative and hospice situation in Münster. People in their last phase of life could be cared for and accompanied at home, on special palliative wards in hospitals, in two hospices, and in in-patient institutions for old and handicapped people. (…) “Palliative competence should always be present where people die.” The director of the academy emphasized the support from the Church as responsible body, for example, of different institutions. “Here, it definitely takes over responsibility”, he was glad to point out. Hospices were obliged to the values of humanitarianism and that is where Christian identity joins in. In the following discussion, Norbert Schulze Kalthoff, head of the department of health, food and veterinary matters of the City of Münster, demanded to improve hospice and palliative care in in-patient nursing institutions. He suggested to appoint hospice representatives in the respective institutions, who should be explicitly trained for this. Following this, suffragan Zekorn underlined the commitment of voluntary workers and emphasized: “What we additionally need is the cooperation of skilled workers and voluntary workers both in the in-patient and outpatient hospice services.”
Text (in parts): Epicopal Press Office 4/11/16

 

 

(from left to right) Dr Martin Dabrowski (academy “Franz-Hitze-Haus”), Dr Norbert Schulze Kalthoff (City of Münster), Dr Andreas Stähli, suffragan Dr Stefan Zekorn, deacon Klaus Willmer (university clinics of Münster)
Photo: Bischöfliche Pressestelle/Ann-Christin Ladermann