Hospice Zug takes care of the sick and dying at home

"You have to be ready for the unplannable" – the Zug association Hospiz Zug has been accompanying the sick and dying at their bedside for 30 years.

The religious holidays at the start of November have a focus on death. The Hospiz Zug deals precisely with this topic, and their voluntary caregivers are committed to ensuring that patients can thereby stay at home for as long as possible.

The leaves are beginning to fall from the trees, and it becomes darker earlier. People light a candle at home and think about the larger questions of life. For these and other reasons, Pastor Andreas Haas and Sister Mattia Fähndrich think that November should be considered a classic month of death. They are both on the board of the Hospiz Zug association – Andreas Haas for 23 years for the Reformed Church, Sister Mattia for eight years for the Roman Catholic Church.

From a liturgical point of view, the forthcoming holidays are focussed on death, with All Saints' Day on 1 November and the last Sunday in November; the Sunday of the Dead and Eternity (Ewigkeitssonntag). "I think Eternity Sunday is more atmospheric. The dead are in an eternity, hope exists and they are now in good hands with God," says Andreas Haas.

Being there for people
The Hospiz Zug association celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. As part of the outpatient hospice (ambulante Hospiz), volunteers go to visit dying people at their homes, and accompany them in this process– all on a voluntary basis. “We are there for people who are in a borderline situation, and it’s important to us to care for them while maintaining their human dignity”, says Sister Mattia. The gratitude for the support on the part of the accompanied person and their relatives is great:

"It helps the relatives a lot that someone is there, and that they themselves have time to come to terms with death, or to do something for themselves."

The voluntary helpers are available the evening before from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., which is a new feature, or are directly available for the night watch. There are currently 25 helpers available, who are assigned accordingly by the control centre.

The moment is crucial
The prerequisite for accompanying people is to take a Caritas ‘Bereavement Accompaniment’ course. "The members who take part meet regularly, attend further-training courses and are supported by the board," says Andreas Haas. What is discussed within the group exchange remains there. The volunteers mainly carry out pastoral work, and they know who to turn to in the case of nursing emergencies.

"In the beginning, we had a lot of pensioners, but, in recent years, more and more working people have joined us, thanks to the evening-before service," says the 60-year-old prioress.

What is important when it comes to the support? The goal is above all to alleviate fears and strengthen hope. “The moment in which we are in is decisive”, says Sister Mattia, adding:

"The wish of the dying or sick person is very central. It's a matter of sensing and assessing what is paramount at the moment."

As examples, she states that some people like to talk about their lives, while others seek closeness. "You have to be ready and open to the unpredictable," says the 62-year-old Andreas Haas. You never know what's going to happen. They both emphasize that one's life experience plays a central role in caring.

There are also funny moments, says the Reformed Church pastor. "I once asked a man if I should pray for him. And he replied: 'Yes, wouldn't do any harm.'" Sister Mattia reports that she has also experienced this. Relatives had said that it was not so sad at all, but lively. "Something that has become a blockage can often be clarified, and this can then be so liberating that it sometimes becomes really cheerful."

Sister Mattia and Andreas Haas are both on the board of Hospiz Zug.
People sometimes laugh during the conversations.                  (Photos: Jan Pegoraro)

Thinking about death early on
Coming to terms with one's own death takes courage and often needs several attempts, but this can help loved ones later. The two carers increasingly hear that the relatives are happy to know what the deceased person wished for. "For them, it’s a new life situation, and they have to make many decisions after death, whereby knowing the wishes simplifies the whole thing," says the prioress of the Heiligkreuz convent.

The support of relatives is also very important for them, and the funeral service is the most important kind of accompaniment.

"During or after the funeral, the awareness arises that the person is no longer here,"

says Andreas Haas. Everyone deals with this in a different way. "Some people come up to us and ask if they can contact us again. This is sometimes the case a few weeks later, or a year or even later," says Sister Mattia. The Hospice Zug is there for them.

It is difficult to say how long the grieving process will last. In Zug, however, there is a Bereavement café once a month in the NeustadtCentre for the Elderly (Alterszentrum), where like-minded people can take to each other and exchange ideas, and people from the church are on site. The Reformed Church pastor adds that it is important to talk to the children about the topic of death when they ask about it. "Children still have a relaxed relationship with death."

More volunteers are needed in the medium term
The logo and the website of the Hospiz Zug have been updated for the 30th anniversary, and videos have also been made, including one in which different generations share their thoughts on life, dying and death. The motto of the anniversary year is "Präsenz Mittendrin (Presence in the midst of it)". "We have taken part in major events in all Zug municipalities throughout the year, with a stand and with presentation groups in retirement homes, true to our anniversary motto," says Sister Mattia.

For the future, the outpatient hospice would like to stay tuned and work together with other institutions. "The population is getting older, so more volunteers are needed in the medium term, and that's also my wish," says Andreas Haas. Sister Mattia Fähndrich agrees and adds: “I would like to see a debate across the generations on the issue of dying, and that there are people who are committed to this.”

Voluntary Outpatient Clinic

As part of Hospiz Zug's annual motto "Präsenz Mittendrin (Presence in the midst of it)", the Swiss Wunschambulanz (Voluntary Outpatient Clinic) will be presented on Thursday, 3 November. Among other things, the initiator Petar Sabovic will tell stories of sick people whose last heart's desire was fulfilled. The event will take place from 6.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. in the Reformed Church Zug, followed by an aperitif, and will be musically supported by Raphael Bussinger on the harp. Participation is free of charge.

Further information about the event and the Hospiz Zug association can be found under www.hospiz-zug.ch