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Hospice care

The Jewish Hospice Immanuel is a place for people to spend their final weeks and to die amid safe and familiar surroundings. The hospice, which accommodates up to six terminally ill individuals, is located in a new building on the Amstelveenseweg in Amsterdam.
Hospice Immanuel is the first Jewish hospice in Europe.

Most people would prefer to die at home. In many cases, however, this is impossible, for example because the spouse and/or family members are unable to bear the burden, insufficient volunteer aid is available, or the primary care physician lacks the resources to provide good supervision during the final stages. This hospice meets a clear need in such cases.

A hospice provides palliative care to ensure the best possible quality of life, both for the guests and for their loved ones. Palliative care is intended to alleviate pain and other unpleasant symptoms and addresses physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects.
Guests admitted to the hospice find support in living their lives as fully as possible until their death; their loved ones receive guidance throughout this extremely painful period in dealing with the patient and with their grief following his or her death.

The hospices that have opened in recent years in the Netherlands have yielded very positive experiences. All evaluations indicate that guests and their families greatly appreciate the care that these facilities offer.

A hospice with a soul

The Jewish hospice provides integrated and multidisciplinary care to people with a Jewish identity or affinity, and whose life expectancy is less than three months.

In their final stages of life people need surroundings that are both familiar and supportive. If Jews spend their final weeks in a non-Jewish environment, their non-Jewish care givers may fail to address or identify various matters related to terminal care and death, possibly leading to uncomfortable situations.
At the Jewish Hospice Immanuel, the staff understands all about Jewish identity. The care provided here is conform to Jewish traditions and respects individual perceptions of Jewish identity.

The Jewish hospice provides safety and comfort with neshomme (compassion), guaranteed by the loving devotion of all who work here, professionals and volunteers alike. All hospice staff receives constant support in this effort.
Family members and other loved ones have every opportunity they wish to participate in care duties and are always welcome to become involved in guiding and caring for the guest.

The hospice kitchen is kosher. The Sabbath is observed, as well as all Jewish holidays.
Every effort will be made at the hospice to accommodate personal dietary needs and desires of guests.

The Jewish hospice figures in the chain of care for the terminally ill and operates in conjunction with other Jewish and non-Jewish healthcare facilities (primary care physicians, hospitals, nursing homes, home care providers, rest homes). The Jewish hospice is part of the Jewish care network and the regional networks for palliative care in Amsterdam , Amstelland and Meerlanden.
Euthanasia
Jewish tradition does not recognize euthanasia (terminating the life of an individual at that person's explicit request). Accordingly, it is not be practiced at the hospice.

Need for a Jewish Hospice

World War II decimated the Jewish community in the Netherlands . The consequences persist to this day.

At present approximately 60,000 people in the Netherlands are eligible for the Jewish Hospice: 40,000 Jews according to the halakhic definition, 10,000 Jewish Israelis, and 10,000 individuals with Jewish fathers and non-Jews who have developed close ties with Judaism in the course of their life, for example by marrying a Jewish person. About 80% of these people live in the Randstad , the metropolitan belt in the West of the Netherlands.

Demographic surveys indicate that as of 2000 among Jews in the Netherlands , 21 percent was over 65, compared with 13 percent of the Dutch population overall. This means that one out of every five Jews in the Netherlands is over 65. Between 1946 and 1953, many Jewish young adults emigrated, and the older generation grew more isolated. Jewish families have also become smaller as a result of the war. The statistics reveal that people are becoming progressively more inclined to live on their own.
 We therefore expect a strong need for a Jewish hospice where terminally ill Jewish patients can receive care during their final stages or can stay temporarily (respite care) to relieve the burden on those at home.

People outside the Netherlands are sure to be interested in being admitted to the hospice as well, such as Jews who were raised in the Netherlands but emigrated and non-Dutch Jews who would prefer to spend their final days at a Jewish hospice (Immanuel is the first Jewish hospice in Europe ).

The hospice capacity (six beds) is based on figures from other Dutch hospices and reflects the interest expected.

Customized care

During the orientation interview the indication advisor assesses the care needs of the future guest and sends the CIZ an indication decision. The home care organization transforms this indication decision into a care request and formulates a care plan. The care plan will determine implementation, evaluation, and any necessary adjustments to the care provided.

The care givers are a multidisciplinary team of professionals (a physician, orderlies, nurses, religious advisors) and trained volunteers. As needed, other professionals are involved, such as physiotherapists, nutritionists, social workers, occupational therapists, and psychologists.

Medical care

Hospice guests ordinarily receive medical care from their own primary care physician. A physician specialized in palliative care is affiliated with the hospice to advise primary care physicians. In the event that primary care physicians are unable to supervise medical care, for example because their practice is too far away from the hospice, the hospice physician will be responsible for the guest's medical care.

Nursing services

Home care is provided at the hospice. Residents receive assistance from home care workers (most of the time nurses) a few times a day. At night a nurse is on duty continuously.
Hospice volunteers support the home care.

Religion guidance

Religious guidance for the guests is greatly valued at the hospice. Several specialized religious advisors are affiliated with the hospice to provide the guests and their loved ones with guidance during their final stages. The religious advisors also help the hospice staff come to terms with their personal perceptions of suffering and death.

Concern for loved ones

Hospice care extends to the family and friends of guests as well. The hospice welcomes them, allows them to come and go at any time, offers overnight accommodations, and lets them share meals. A sympathetic ear and comfort are also available.

Following a death, loved ones will receive any support they need in coming to terms with their grief. At the hospice, we hope to organize regular gatherings where surviving relatives may meet in due time.

Location

The Jewish hospice is located at 665 Amstelveenseweg in Amsterdam . This site is easily accessible by public transport and has plenty of parking spaces nearby. Just off the highway that encircles Amsterdam, the hospice is also convenient to reach for visitors from outside the city.

This site in Amsterdam behind the VU Hospital has been selected for its immediate proximity to the entire Jewish infrastructure in Amsterdam South and Buitenveldert, as well as the contiguous town of Amstelveen.

Israeli architect Boaz Brown designed the building. The hospice features six residential units, each one a studio with kitchen facilities. Every room contains a hospital bed (with space for a bed for overnight guests), a coffee maker, a microwave and water boiler, a refrigerator with a freezer compartment, video/audio/television and a telephone/internet connection.
All rooms are furnished, but residents are welcome to bring their own furniture to help them feel more at home.

The hospice have ample facilities for modified showers or bathing facilities.
In the living room residents can encounter other residents and visitors and may share meals together. The hospice has a few rooms to accommodate family and/or friends staying overnight. Behind the house is a garden for guests and their visitors to enjoy; there is also a beautiful room built of only glass which gives a fascinating view on the garden and serves at the same times as a sukkah.

Admission criteria

Admission to the Jewish hospice requires an indication from the Centrum Indicatiestelling Zorg [care indication center] (CIZ). The admission criteria follow the description of the short-term terminal care product applied by the CIZ. Criteria for admission to the Jewish hospice are:

•  persons of any age group - throughout the Netherlands - with a Jewish identity or affinity

•  brief life expectancy (less than 3 months)

•  need for palliative care

•  caring for the patient at home is no longer feasible or desirable

•  hospice admission is preferred. 

Short-term accommodation

The hospice also offers short-term accommodations for terminal patients, for example to improve their personal situation or to provide loved ones with temporary relief, after which they will resume the care at home.

Organization

The Foundation Joodse Hospice Immanuel runs the hospice. This foundation has formed a project team to handle the preparations. Several committees have elaborated and carried out various parts of the plan, such as finance, accommodations, Jewish affairs, PR, and fundraising.

The hospice also has a foundation of friends of the Joods Hospice Immanuel. This foundation is dedicated to raising money from outside sources to support the future operation of the hospice.

The hospice administration consists of a managing director and a hospice fysician. They draft policy together and are responsible for the organization as a whole.
The volunteer coordinators recruit and supervise the volunteers.