Our Lady’s Hospice is a nine bed in-patient facility sponsored by the Daughters of Charity, which provides palliative care for persons living with life threatening conditions.
Offering a refreshing and conducive space for patients, Our Lady’s Hospice (OLH), which is Catholic run, works to provide a home like environment comfortable for patients to recover and access healthcare in a dignified space. With the assistance of a dedicated and selfless team, the hospice has been providing psychosocial care since 2010 for the caregivers and families as well.
The Daughters of Charity developed the hospice in response to critical need for patient care in the community. When the sisters first arrived in Thigio, they began their ministry by reaching out to persons who were sick and at home. The sisters saw how families were struggling to provide care for terminally ill patients in homes that were at times lacking in electricity or water, or without specialized beds or chairs to make patients more comfortable. They saw caregivers struggling and becoming over-burdened trying to work and care for their loved ones, exhausted from attempting to provide round the clock care at home.
In response to these needs the Daughters of Charity opened Our Lady’s Hospice in 2010. Since the hospice opened, 521 patients have been received care. The services provided include pain management and symptom control, psychosocial support and spiritual care. The facility is clean and bright and very home like. The staff are well trained and very professional but also very caring and compassionate.
Many patients and their families come to think of Our Lady’s Hospice as a second home. They are grateful for the spiritual care and support provided and they are happy with the attention to the individual needs of patients.
Families say:
- OLH was a second home for my sister
- OLH is my home. This is where I want to spend my last days
- Our father was always shaved and clean
- He came to know the Lord in his last moments
- I will always be grateful for the caring staff at OLH
A yearly memorial service for the families of those who have died in the past year is one way that OLH staff attempt to keep contact with families ensure they are coping with the loss of a loved one.
Challenges encountered include:
- Patients referred very late in their illness-Some patients only stay with us for one day
- Our facility has a capacity of nine beds. We often have a waiting list
- Slow reimbursement by NHIF and limited donations
Stories of success
Stories of success in hospice often mean that a patient lived their last days pain free, in a comfortable setting, surrounded by people who care for them. Sometimes though it can mean that a patient grows stronger and returns home to be with family in the last moments.
Our Lady’s Hospice is located in Mboroti, near Thigio in Limuru- Kiambu County. This is a rural farming community only 45 minutes from Nairobi. OLH is fully accredited by NHIF and accepts NHIF payments for patients.
Our Lady’s Hospice welcomes donations. All donations are used to help us continue to provide the highest quality of care for our patients and their families.
Welcome to Our Lady’s Hospice
Sister Susan Tanui
Manager
Email: susjept@gmail.com or thigiohospice@gmail.com Phone: +254 736531603 or +254 726105965
Author: Sister Susan Tanui, Edited by: Kelai Wanjiru