Growing need: Outpatient hospice services in Bremen are reporting an increase!

Growing need: Outpatient hospice services in Bremen are reporting an increase!

The increase in outpatient hospice and palliative services in Bremen cannot be overlooked. According to that Weser courier The number of seriously ill people who were cared for by eight outpatient hospice services in the city in 2023 rose to 516 - a significant increase compared to 462 in 2022. This development is primarily due to the growing number of older people, which has increased in recent years. Stefanie Aumund-Kopp, coordinator of the Horn hospice, emphasizes that the use of such services is not only increasing, but is also an important sign of how society deals with home care.

The coordinator of Hospice Bremen-Nord, Dörte Rode, gives similar feedback and reports that the number of accompaniment has now reached the 2019 level again. These optimistic tendencies are also evident in the first half of 2024, in which more people were accompanied than in the previous year. In order to further support this trend, volunteers are also of immense importance. Last year the number rose from 392 to 437.

The role of volunteers

Volunteer helpers are the heart of outpatient hospice work. Many of them bring personal experience and a desire to help in difficult times. In particular, 80 qualified volunteer death companions support people in the final phase of their lives, while four additional volunteer grief counselors look after their relatives. This role is invaluable because those affected often need support in coming to terms with dying as well as help in the grieving process German Hospice and Palliative Association emphasized.

Financial support plays a crucial role in maintaining services. The statutory health insurance companies provide a total of 1,155,768 euros for outpatient hospice work in Bremen. In addition, the replacement funds support the coordination of volunteers and their training and further education with around 466,000 euros in 2024, which represents an increase of over 16 percent compared to the previous year. The use of these resources enables outpatient facilities to improve the quality of life of seriously ill patients and to support them in remaining in their usual environment even in the last phase of their lives.

Financing and framework conditions

Outpatient hospice work in Germany is anchored in a clear legal framework. The Hospice and Palliative Care Act of 2015 regulates the framework conditions for outpatient hospice work and funding through statutory health insurance. These regulations ensure that seriously ill people receive the help they need and that outpatient services can continually adapt their offerings.

In summary, it can be said that outpatient hospice and palliative work in Bremen is showing an encouraging upward trend. The increasing number of companions and volunteers brings new hope for seriously ill people and their relatives, who need support and companionship more than ever during this time.