Reports

Report 2007 The Hospice functions from the 1th February 2007. The Hospice has eight beds, at present four are occupied. The Hospice is lead by Franciscane Sisters who are sustained by an external team of nurses and hospital attendants. The aim of the Hospice is to offer dignity and peace to the patients independent of their social class, their ethnical or religious affiliation, during the last period of their life until the last moment of their life. From the moment he enters the building the visitor will meet an atmosphere of serenity and adoration. Many patient experience this kind of atmosphere for the first time in their lives. Te optimal care full of self sacrifice comes from the Christian love, which you can find only at nun nurses. Its little wonder, that the nuns (dresses in white on the pictures) and the nurses and hospital attendants are perceived as angels in the world. We cannot imagine a better recognition of our  hard work full of self sacrifice at the Hospice. Beginning with the announced period the Hospice will function normally under the coordination of Sister Savia. The financing of the project is a huge challenge which needs a lot of patience and experience. This is the reason why donations are accepted with great recognition. By the Grace of God in 2007, we managed to successfully initiate our project - the Centre of Palliative Care "Hospice of Divine Mercy". You have brought a consistent contribution to the project's development and it is an honour to share with you the joy of a wonderful success. In the beginning of 2008, we want analyze the achievements of the first year of the Hospice. We would like to apologize for the fact that we haven't written any letter since the inauguration of the Centre of Palliative Care "Hospice of Divine Mercy" on the 25th of November 2006 and we would like to inform you now about our activity. 1.  Even before the inauguration of the Hospice we had selected the personnel, and afterwards we submitted the papers in order to set-up the contractual frame with the Health Insurance Bureau of the Timis County (Casa Judeteana de Asigurari de Sanatate - CJAS - Timis). The selected personnel was employed starting in January and it was decided that the Centre for Permanent Palliative Care would begin its actual activity on February the 1st, on its own funds, resulted from donations, until the contract with the Health Insurance Bureau of the Timis County is signed. After the evaluation made by the Health Insurance Bureau of the Timis County, the contract was signed, so the Centre for Palliative Care Hospice Type - "The House of the Divine Mercy" was accredited as a supplier of medical services in the field of palliation. After signing the contract, it was decided that the sum of money for each person per day would be 118 Ron. 2.  On February the 1st and the 2nd the personnel was trained and on February the 3rd a lecture and a workshop, on "Palliative Care, Automatic Syringe", for physicians and nurses, started. The course was organized by the Romanian Association for Palliative Care - Timisoara Branch (represented by Dr. Oana Ciucure and Dr. Claudia Stefanescu) in collaboration with Lisburn Trust/Northern Ireland (represented by Dr. Aine McNeill, Med. As. Maggie Ross and Med. As. Tracey Ashfield). The Centre started its activity on February the 5th with the admission of the first patient. Another lecture was organized at the hospice of Timisoara in the same month, concerning the use and prescription of the opium derivates, (between the 9th and the 10th and between the 16th and the 17th). Twenty physicians attended this course organized by the Hospice "Casa Sperantei" Brasov in collaboration with the Centre for Physicians' Specialization. The Centre of Palliative Care - Hospice "The House of the Divine Mercy" Timisoara is a member of the National Coalition for Palliative Care founded at Brasov, in November 2006. It develops advocacy activities to sustain the patients' rights to palliative care in Romania. The first meeting of this coalition was held at Sibiu on the 15th -16th of February 2007. 3.  The Centre for Palliative Care Hospice Type organized on March the 19th 2007 a 10 day course on "Palliative Care of the Incurable Patients". The lectures were given by Mrs. Ecaterina Nistor and were attended by sixteen people: the medical staff of the Hospice from Timisoara and other medical assistants from the Home Care Centres in the Timisoara Diocese. 4.  Our centre of Palliative Care organized the Dedication Day of the Hospice, on the 14th-15th of April on the occasion of the feast of Divine Mercy. The programme of this feast began with a charity concert, having the purpose to help the persons who were taken care of by the Hospice Centre. The Gospel music concert was organized by Dominic Fritz- a young volunteer from Germany, at "Jesus' Heart" Roman-Catholic Church, Balcescu Square. On Sunday, April 15th, the programme continued with the morning liturgy and with the Devotion of Divine Mercy in the Chapel of the Hospice at 3PM. The programme of this celebration ended with a visit of the Centre and a brotherly-repast, where participated employees and friends, benefactors, some of the Centre's co-workers and some other persons were invited on this occasion. 5.  The National Conference, The Palliative Care- Integrant Part of the Public Health System took place in Bucharest, on the 27th of April, with the participation of the authorities,  specialists from the medical field,  nongovernmental organizations, the cults, and international associations. Its aim was to improve the legislative regulations. Both the Centre of Palliative Care and The Care at Domicile Project from the Caritas Federation of Timisoara were represented at this conference. 6.  We organized a feast at the Centre on the 11th of May 2007, on the occasion of The Medical Assistant's International Day ( celebrated on the12th of May), in order to show the work which has been done by our assistants in palliative care so far, so that it might be appreciated in a public manner. 7.  From the international donations obtained during the last summer we succeeded to repair the roof of the addition of the building, where the garage and the warehouse are situated. We completed the equipment of our Centre with nets for the windows and other objects necessary for its good functioning. We have also purchased 10 benches which are used for the park for the recreation of the patients and their families. 8.  Celebrating the Hospice Day, during October 07th-18th  , 2007, the centre organized several activities promoting the palliative care: presentations, the Volunteer's Day, the Christian Youth Action. 9.  During the period 19th- 22nd   October we participated in Iasi at the scientific conference "Caritas - Charity and Professionalism", where we presented the project and the activity of the Hospice, this palliative centre is the only one existing in Romania under the protection of Caritas. 10.  Within the VIIIth National Conference of Palliation "Clinical Practice and Development of Services in the Palliative Care" in the period 9th-10th November 2007 at Poiana Brasov we presented scientific research papers and we expressed our own experience and activity in two papers "Nursing for Oncology Patients with Hemoragical Affections" and "Clinical Manifestations and therapeutic Management for Patients with advanced Cancer". 11.  On the 25th of November 2007, a year after the Hospice of Divine Mercy's inauguration, we expressed our gratitude through the solemn celebration of the Holly Mass. 12.  On Saint Nicholas' Day, November the 6th 2007, the patients and the staff enjoyed the visit of a special guest, Saint Nicholas who offered them symbolic gifts, making them smile. 13.  The students of the Social Assistance College were very excited to do their field work in our hospice, during November until the beginning of December. 14.  In the Hospice of Divine Mercy, the Celebration of Our Saviour' s Birth came a little earlier because on the 18th of December, our patients were very pleased to receive presents from the board of the hospice. These symbolic gifts enlightened their faces, bringing joy to their souls. But the staff members and the volunteers enjoyed these special moments, too. They met later the same day, in the conferrence room, to celebrate and to spend their evening together, like a family. Under the Christmas tree, we received, presents from our donors, that were joyfully opened. Over the Holiday period, various choirs from Timisoara and Arad came to lift us up singing beautiful carols. They shared with us the joy and the hope given unto es through Christ' birth. 15.  The present situation concerning the number of persons, who were hospitalised in our centre (there are 10 places available) is the following:     214 persons were hospitalized until December 31th, 2007,     2627 hospitalized  days,     71% of the hospitalized patients had ochological pathology,     29% of the patients have different other ilnesses,     the average hospitaliztion days/patient is 12 days. 16.  Finally, we must say that the money we receive from the Health Insurance Bureau of the Timis County is not enough to pay all the costs which have to be covered by the Centre. This is why, we continue to use all the means we have to inform people about this service, we try to make them sensitive, in order to be able to collect permanent funds which are necessary, to offer a best quality palliative care. Next to the financial support, our hospice profited from the volunteers' help. Every volunteer offered his/her support in different areas: psichological, spiritual and social assistance, administration, cleaning, gardening, promoting the Centre. The volunteers gave away their time and talent for the benefit of the patients, the patients' families and the staff. 17.  During the year 2007 we had some visits from Europe and USA. We thank God daily for His Mercy who made possible the existence and the functioning of our hospice. We also thank you for the confidence you had in us and for the material help you offered us so generously. We assure you, that in our common prayer we ask God to help you, your friends and collaborators with His Divine Grace and to fill you with His peace and love. 12.02.2008 Hospice Timisoara Hospice in operation since Febr. 1, 2007 Presently eight beds are occupied but, unfortunately, already four patients have died.  The hospice is mainly run by the Fransiscan  Nuns with a support staff of eight external nurses and nursing aids. The task and goal of the hospice concept is to accompany patients from all social, ethnical and religious groups during their last days on this earth and to make it possible for them to die with dignity and in peace.  Upon entering this building, the visitor is also embraced by the peaceful and worshipful atmosphere which many of the patients experience for the first time in their lives.  The  self-sacrificing and optimal care of the patients arises from an intensive Chritian brotherly love, which is only found to this extent in nursing nuns.  So it is not surprising that the nuns  (dressed in white in the photos)  as well as the nurses and nursing aids are named and  regarded by the patients as earthly angels.   One cannot imagine a better acknowledgement of  the self-sacrificing and  mentally extremely demanding  work in the hospice.   Under the charge of the director Sr. Savia, the operation, after the set up time, will run normally.  One enormous challenge is the financing of the project which requires much patience and expertise to master. For this reason, donations are welcome and will be accepted with much appreciation. Receipts of donations can be made as long as the doners name and address are clearly legible on the bank transfer. 04.03.2007 Nikolaus Laub Inauguration - 25th November 2006 We are glad to inform you that on the 25th November 2006 we managed to inaugurate the first centre of Palliative Care "Hospice of the Divine Mercy", as a result of a common project of the Caritas Federation of the Timisoara Diocese and the Congregation of the Daughters of St. Francis of Assisi. This project will benefit as well of the help of some physicians specialized in palliative care from   the OncoMed Association of Timisoara. Due to the change of its destination, the old building of the monastery needed some major transformation and improvement to be at the level of the European standards. Thanks to the Divine Grace and thanks to the help of our benefactors we were able to do all the necessary changes and we received the functioning authorization for the hospice activity from the Health Department of Bucharest. At the inauguration festivity, we had the great pleasure and honour to have among us His Excellence Dr. Claude Perisset, Apostolic Nuncio for Romania and Moldavia, who accepted the invitation of His Excellence Martin Roos, Roman Catholic Bishop of Timisoara to celebrate the Saint Liturgy of dedication of the hospice. At this event also took part His Excellence Joseph Duffy, Bishop of Clogher (Ireland), His Excellence Alexandru Mesian, Greek Catholic Bishop of Lugoj, His  Excellence Paisie Lugojanul, Locum tenens Bishop of the Orthodox Archiepiscopate of Timisoara, His Excellence Jan Soth, the Ambassador of Slovekia in Romania, Sister Irenea Hamranova, the General Superior of the Congregation of the Daughters of St. Francis of Assisi and the representatives of different charitable associations and foundations from Romania and from abroad. While preaching in German and Romanian, His Excellence Jean-Claude Perisset showed the importance of the hospice project and of the hospice type palliative care: "This hospice expresses more than mercy, more than empathy; it expresses the fact that Jesus approaches our brothers who are suffering by the members of the Church. This is even the mystery of Divine love both for the suffering man and for those called to assist him." Our common prayer goes now to God and we ask Him to help our benefactors and us with His Divine Grace to be able to go on with this project, as we are aware of the fact that its functioning will be possible only if we continue to be supported by people with a great heart. 25.11.2006 Congregation of the Daughters of St. Francis of Assisi The Center is a project of the Caritas Federation  Diocese of Timisoara - 18.02.2004 The Caritas Federation of the Timisoara Diocese, an organisation initiated and inspired by the Romano-catholic Bishopric of Timisoara, Romania, began its activity in 1993 paying a special attention to the social problems specific for the area of Banat that is the four districts, namely Timis, Arad, Caras-Severin, Mehedinti. During all this time great emphasis has been laid on the identification of the concrete social needs of the community, on the collaboration with the governamental and non-governamental institutions, on the continuous training of the staff and the involvement of the specialists. Nowadays the Caritas Federation of the Timisoara Diocese has 164 employees. Its main objectives are: the promotion of concepts and orientations in the social policy the reintegration of the poor and the out-cast persons the community development the cooperation with local and national authorities and with other national and international organisations the providing of a qualified and motivated staff. In 1994 the Caritas Federation of the Timisoara Diocese initiated a mostly medical project, of care at home. So far, over 800 pacients have been registered and they received medical care at home by a professional team formed of a physicians, nurses, aides and voluntary nurses belonging to the Franciscan order. The patients having different types of chronic pathologies are the major problem we are confronted with because they present during the final stages uncontrolled symptoms with ethiological treatment and they need permanent care in a hospice-type centre. It would be preferable for the patient to be cared at home, but, unfortunately, in the great majority of the cases, the family proves to be unable to do it because of financial or physical reasons or ill-will or worse even the patient has no legal sustainer. In all these cases, our visits have proved to be unsufficient and that's why we suggest as an alternative the foundation of a permanent centre of palliative care-hospice type where the patients needing this type of care should be hospitalized. This centre will be situated within the precincts of the Franciscan Monastery from Timisoara that sustains this project by offering the residence and the voluntary work of the Franciscan sisters. For the beginning, its capacity is of 8-10 persons this is equivalent to 60/year. The centre includes 6 rooms, a sitting room, bathrooms, a kitchen, a recreation and dining-room, a consultation and treatment room, a chapel, a sakristy, store rooms for medicine and hygienic-sanitary materials, a laundry, a dressing room, a garage. The room for the patients' families where they can live temporarily as well as the yard and the garden (1416 m2) where the patients and their families can walk and relax are of great importance. Summary: Active and total care is provided for the patients who don't respond any longer to the curative treatment. The checking of the pain and of the symptoms, the psychological, social, spiritual assistance are essential both for the patient and his/her family. The responsibility is assumed to transform the last part of the patient's life in a period of dignity and confort. The palliative care is an unsolved problem of the medical care system in Romania. The patients in the final stages are rendered to their families and consequently the care and the quality of those patients' life are unsatisfactory. That's why the hospice we've suggested becomes an imperious necessity and completes the public health system by continuing the care in the final stages. There is no such specialized service in the Timisoara Diocese. The beneficiaries are adult persons, from Timisoara and conterminous areas, who have different types of clinical pathologies that during the final stages present uncontrolled symptoms with ethiological treatment and need palliative care. Caritas Federation Diocese of Timisoara No 2 Corbului Street RO-300239 Timisoara Romania Phone: 0040-256-499554 Fax: 0040-256-494812 E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it Partners in the Project: Congregation of the Daughters of St. Francis of Assisi Cozia str. 55 RO-300580 Timisoara Romania Phone: 0040-256-487743 Fax: 0040-256-492059 E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it 18.02.2004 Caritas Federation Diocese of Timisoara