About us

Sungardens Hospice was
established in 1985 born out of a need that existed in the community to
take care of terminally ill patients. This particular Hospice serves
the Tswane community and has the main administrative and In-patient
unit in Pretoria (corner of Gen. Louis Botha and Lynnwood Road). We
offer a program of specialised home-based care to patients and their
families who must cope with terminal illness such as cancer, HIV/AIDS,
final stages of emphysema and Motor Neuron Disease. Although we have
an in-patient unit (7 units) at our main offices, which provides
short-term intensive medical care, pain and symptom control, the main
thrust of our work is for our professionally trained nurses to visit
the patients and their families in their own homes to provide physical
care, practical help and emotional support (currently 300 patients).
The Hospice team is also involved in daycare programs, bereavement
counselling and training

Mission Statement

Sungardens
and Mamelodi Hospices offer a programme of specialised care and support
to people facing progressive and advanced illness from which they are
unlikely to recover, enabling them to die painfree and with dignity.

This
is a medically directed, nurse co-ordinated programme of care
responding to the physical, emotional, spiritual and social needs of
the patient and family. We believe that, with appropriate care and the
promotion of a caring community, patients and families may be free to
attain a degree of mental and spiritual preparation for death that is
satisfactory to them.

Philosophy

Hospice
provides support and care to persons in the last phases of incurable
disease so that they may live as fully and comfortably as possible.
Hospice recognises dying as a normal process and neither hastens nor
postpones death. Hospice recognises grief as a normal response to loss
and therefore supports the families in the bereavement period.

Ethos

All
human beings should be valued and treated with dignity, compassion and
respect. Coming to terms with death is as important as coming to terms
with life and may provide profound insights into the purpose of living.
The terminally ill should have the right to retain control and share
fully in the decision concerning their care and what is appropriate for
them. They have the right to their religious views, their cultural
beliefs and their personal philosophies. Hospice care involves a
holistic approach but is flexible enough to focus on specific areas of
need if this seems appropriate to the dying person.

Hospice
is a medically directed programme of care which draws on the resources
of health professionals and trained caregivers supported by a large
group of volunteers.