Love at the end of life: impulses for human accompaniment in the hospice

Love at the end of life: impulses for human accompaniment in the hospice

In the Lower Austria Landhaus in St. Pölten, this year's hospice quae recently took place, which was organized by the Hospiz Lower Austria Association. This important event focused on the emotional topic "Love at the End of Life" and united national and international experts. Together they discussed relevant aspects of accompanying people in their last phase of life.

The event was opened by State Councilor Christiane Teschl-Hofmeister, who highlighted the extensive expansion of the hospice and palliative care in Lower Austria. Their statements made it clear the need to go beyond the medical aspects and to focus more on the human needs of those affected.

expert contributions and topics of the Enquete

Professor Giovanni Maio from Albert-Ludwigs University in Freiburg spoke about the importance of love in medicine and implied that a purely technical orientation in medical action should be compared to a holistic, loving attitude in order to optimally support people in crisis situations. This approach was also supported by other lecturers such as Franz Schmatz, a psychotherapist, who highlighted the value of self -love in heart formation.

Another important contribution came from Mag. Martina Mondl, who reported on the establishment of sexual psychological consultation hours for oncological patients at the University Hospital Krems. The aim of this initiative is to reduce fears and to promote alternative forms of intimacy in palliative accompaniment. This shows how important it is to openly discuss even the most sensitive topics in this context.

In the second part of the event, Bardia Monshi, a clinical psychologist, brought the aspect of life -affirming attitude into play. "Awareness of our own finiteness should motivate us to actively live love," he said. These vital psychological relationships showed how closely loving is linked to dying.

In addition, illuminated Tilli Egger, an expert in psycho -oncology, the importance of the loving view in the palliative care. Her explanations made it clear that the current moment is decisive in order to really perceive relatives and those affected.

Gudrun Kreye, the medical director of a palliative unit, addressed the often oppressed sexuality in palliative medicine. She pointed out that social norms and physical restrictions often prevent the open use of affection and intimacy, which can heavily burden the emotional needs of patients.

The connection between mourning and relationship work was clearly emphasized by Uschi Pechlaner. Her analyzes showed that grief is not only an examination of the loss, but also the challenge of maintaining loving thoughts and relationships. In this context, the role of guilt and shame is particularly visible due to the loss of a close person.

Finally, Dr. Gerald Gatterer, an expert in aging research, the complex challenges that dementia diseases have for interpersonal relationships. He explained how not only the condition of those affected changes through such diseases, but also the dynamics of the relationship itself.

"The high number of participants proves how important this topic is for our society," summed up Petra Kozisnik, managing director of the Hospiz Lower Austria Association. The variety of perspectives in the lectures made it clear how central love is in the last phase of life. It is not only an emotional resource, but rather an ethical attitude that should always be in the foreground in the hospice and palliative care.

The State Association Hospiz Lower Austria, founded in 2001, plays a central role in promoting qualitative hospice and palliative care in the region. Its commitment ensures that these important services are accessible to all people, regardless of their social background.

The complete details of the event and its topics are available in a comprehensive report stadtlandzeitung.com .