Rural Home Care for the Terminally Ill

The majority of South Coast Hospice Association’s patients on the Rural Home Care Programme, are typically found to be living in indigent circumstances, with little access to basic services and infrastructure.

These patients and their families are hardly able to afford food or proper shelter and can’t afford to travel to hospitals, clinics and doctors. Their access to health care is therefore very limited. The remainder are bed-ridden or dependent on wheelchairs.

The only way that these patients have access to health care is when South Coast Hospice Association’s Rural Home Care Teams, visit them in their own homes, to provide them with the physical and psychosocial care that they are in dire need of.

A specialised team of Caregivers and a Professional Nurse from the ARV Support Team visit patients who are on the Antiretroviral Programme at Murchison Hospital, in their homes, to provide added support and follow up on defaulters.

The Ugu Health District. KZN, South Africa is listed as one of the 22 identified Presidential Poverty nodes and we therefore also strive to alleviate poverty by distributing food parcels, blankets and clothing to impoverished households, when available.

All South Coast Hospice Association’s services are FREE of charge unless the patient has medical insurance, which is unlikely as the majority of our patients face the challenges of unemployment and extreme poverty.

Any donation, big or small. will assist us in sustaining our Rural Home Care Programme to enable us to continue to provide terminally ill patients and their families with quality Palliative care, IN THEIR OWN HOMES, creating greater access to quality health care, enhance their quality of life and retain their dignity throughout their illness.

Please send me an email to inform me of your donation as I would like to thank you on behalf of South Coast Hospice and our very grateful patients. Read more