Palliative care: accompaniment at end of life

Any person at the end of their life who is in an advanced or terminal stage of a serious, progressive and incurable illness may receive palliative care, either at their own request or that of their loved ones.

Palliative treatment

Palliative care and company for a person at the end of their life may be given at home, at hospital (in any department) or in an assistance and care institution licensed under the law on long-term care insurance, such as care homes.

Hospice leave

If one of your loved ones (a parent, child or partner) is at the end of their life and you are an employee, you are entitled to hospice leave of a maximum of 5 working days per year, per terminal patient.

To obtain these leave days, you need to ask the doctor taking care of your relative for a medical certificate. They must attest that the patient is in the terminal phase of a serious illness, and need you to be present constantly.

For further information concerning hospice leave, see Chapters III (art. 9) and IV (art. 11 and 12) of the Law of 16 March 2009 on Palliative Care, Advance Healthcare Directives and End-of-Life care.

Health record

The health record is a tool which allows for better connection, communication and coordination between parties, to improve the quality of care for the patient. Every person involved in the terminal patient's care must write down what they supply, their actions and the services that they perform in that health record.

The health record is kept close to the patient constantly, and goes with them wherever they are being accommodated. The patient themselves and all healthcare providers must be able to access the health record.

As palliative care relates to all the needs of the person at the end of their life, and also concerns the people around the patient, it is crucial that the interventions by the various service providers are properly arranged, resulting in complete and effective care for the patient.

Help for patients' loved ones

There are various services and initiatives that provide support for the loved ones of terminal patients or the surrounding caregivers, as the disease worsens, through palliative care, and as they deal with the bereavement.

Omega 90's services to support people at the end of their lives

Omega 90 is the Luxembourg association for palliative care, and provides support to people at the end of their lives and the bereaved. It offers the following services to support people at the end of their lives:

• Hosting for the bereaved, for people suffering from a serious illness and those around them.
• Hosting for bereaved children and adolescents.
• Psychotherapy after a traumatic death.
• Bereavement support groups.
• Information and consultation for parents, teachers and educators dealing with children and young people affected by the death of a loved one.
• 'Haus Omega' palliative care centres.

Home assistance and care networks

Home assistance and care networks, with their teams providing hands-on help, advice and support, can offer specific types of care in relation to the living situations of the patients – in particular, those approaching the end of their lives.