Close to people | Stories from Bethel
As protected as in a bubble bath
More and more rays of sunlight find their way through the branches of the trees. Alexandra Saßenberg looks out into the greenery and the sunrise. She savours moments like these. They confirm her decision to move to the hospice at Ostpark in Dortmund. The 52-year-old has an incurable lung disease. "Here I can consciously make the most of the time I have left," she says.
Alexandra Saßenberg visited the Bethel hospice with her son (16) and daughter (13) early on and gained a positive impression. Before she moved in, she placed them with her divorced husband. Giving up the children was the hardest decision of her life. "But now I can no longer fulfil my responsibility as a mother," she says.
"Being protected gives me security and support."
Living at home until the end was out of the question for Alexandra Saßenberg. Her fear of an agonising death by asphyxiation was too great. At the hospice, her worries and discomfort are alleviated thanks to the excellent medical and nursing care. Alexandra Saßenberg is full of praise for the staff who, as she says, "treat her humanely and as equals". "I feel like I'm in a bubble bath here," she says with a smile, adding: "This feeling of being protected gives me security and support." This makes it easier for her to experience moments like the sunrise intensely.
Painting therapy and walks with staff also give her quality of life. It's especially nice when friends come to visit. And her children. "I'm glad that I'm aware that they are well looked after," she says, "and I'm grateful that the hospice exists and that I'm here. I'm a happy-go-lucky child."
Text: Philipp Kreutzer | Photo: Matthias Cremer
This story simply told
Alexandra Saßenberg lives in a hospice in Dortmund. People who will not live much longer are cared for here. Alexandra Saßenberg has an incurable lung disease. She feels comfortable and cared for in the hospice. She receives very good medical and nursing care there. This takes away her fear of dying.
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Offers & services
The Hospiz am Ostpark is characterised by its bright, friendly and open atmosphere. The hospice garden invites you to relax and unwind. Guests can surround themselves with personal belongings in ten cosy single rooms. There is also a large care bathroom in the building. Other living rooms, a balcony, the terrace, the garden and the conservatory are barrier-free and can be used for personal everyday activities and socialising.
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