No patient is refused access to our care programme because of an inability to pay. The cost of the care of the patient is explained to the family, leaving it to them to decide upon a contribution. Should a patient belong to a medical aid scheme, the scheme is approached for payment.

Any family member/friend can refer a patient to the home based care programme (with the patient’s consent). Hospice will obtain a referral letter from the attending doctor and a home based care nurse will then visit the patient at home.

Our
Services

Home care nursing (Domiciliary Care)

The majority of our patients are cared for in their homes where the family becomes the unit of care. An experienced, specially trained nursing sister assesses the patient and makes a commitment to be accessible whenever the need arises, visiting the patient on a regular basis at home and providing physical care and emotional support.

In-patient care

We have an in-patient unit for patients who require short-term intensive medical care, pain and symptom control, or terminal care. Patients are also admitted when the family needs a break. Many patients return to their homes once pain and other symptoms are under control. Please click here for photos of our in-patient unit.

Psychosocial services

Sungardens and Mamelodi Hospices offer a psychosocial service to all patients, families and significant others from the date the patient is referred to the psychosocial department. Referrals can be done by a patient, family members or any other member of the interdisciplinary team. Services include individual support in the form of counselling and other social work interventions, group support in the form of adult and children support groups and community work projects.

Bereavement follow-up

We provide a bereavement service, maintaining contact with the family as long as needed after the death of a patient. Grief is a private and individual process and we try to help families in whichever way we can.

Training

Training plays a vital role in all aspects of our work. We require all our staff and volunteer caregivers to attend an initial course on personal growth and development, to ensure that they have a good understanding of the Hospice philosophy of care and will be able to cope with the type of care that we provide.

After this initial course, specialised training is provided to the members of the hospice team in specific areas of care. We offer training in practical nursing care, pain management and emotional support for patients and their families. A special course is run to train those who support families facing the grief over the loss of a loved one.

Free HIV counselling and testing service (HTS)

A free HIV counseling and testing service (HCT) was launched on 7 November 2014. The project is launched through the support of Provincial Department of Health. Sungardens Hospice is aiming at reaching the following targets:
• 5000 people reached per month.
• 50 000 condoms distributed per month.
• 1000 people referred to health facilities.
• 500 people tested for HIV.
A minimum of 100 people having accessed Health facilities for HAST (HIV/AIDS, STI and TB services). The service is available at Sungardens Hospice on Mondays & Fridays between 08:00 – 09:00 & 15:00 – 16:00. Please contact our office on 012 3481934 (Juanita Kruger- Project manager) for more information on accessing our mobile unit. Sungardens Hospice also offers continued support to people infected and affected by HIV through professional counseling services and support groups.

Referral Forms

Hospice specializes in palliative care of patients with cancer, HIV and TB as well as any end stage organ failure/ life threatening disease. We require a referral letter from the attending doctor, (regarding the diagnosis and staging of the disease). After receiving the referral we discuss the case with our medical doctor and the disciplinary panel to decide on whether the patients fit our admission criteria.

Our home base care sister will then assess the patient either in hospital or at home (if within our geographical area). We provide home based care support to patients and their families regarding use of medication and pain and symptom control, after consultation with our Palliative care trained doctors. Due to our limited resources we cannot offer 24 hour care, however we can provide a list of the nursing services/ care workers who are able to do so.

We have an In Patient Unit with only 7 beds where patients are admitted for pain and symptom control and terminal care, therefore we admit patients for a period of 7-10 days, and not for long term care.

MEDICAL END STAGE REFERRAL PRETORIA SUNGARDENS HOSPICE
MEDICAL REFERRAL PRETORIA SUNGARDENS HOSPICE
MEDICAL REPORT FOR IMMUNE DEFICIENT PATIENTS PRETORIA SUNGARDENS HOSPICE