Camdeboo Hospice

• Nieu Bethesda
• Aberdeen
• Graaff-Reinet

Camdeboo Hospice, a registered Non-Profit Organisation, provides a holistic Home-based Palliative Care service to those infected and affected by life-limiting diseases with the main focus of care being HIV&AIDS, Cancer and Motor Neurone Disease.  In January 2013, in order to meet the unfortunate increase in the number of TB patients in our area, we introduced a MDR and XDR TB (Multiple Drug Resistant and Extreme Drug Resistant Tuberculosis) program and employed an additional Professional Nursing Sister specifically for this program.    Our services extend to 5 towns in the Camdeboo & Ikewzi areas – Graaff-Reinet, Nieu Bethesda, Aberdeen, Jansenville and Klipplaat and are available to the entire community, regardless of gender, age, ethnic group, religious persuasion or financial status.     
Our team of 20 dedicated Caregivers walk from house to house in extreme Karoo weather conditions providing care and support where it is needed most – in the patients’ own homes.  Our Staff Nurse and Professional Nursing Sister ensure that these ladies and gentlemen maintain the excellent quality of service for which we have become renowned and appreciated.  The Sister and Staff Nurse travel to the outlying towns each month to oversee the care of the patients, to deliver medical supplies and food parcels and to monitor, encourage, and support the staff based there.  As at the end of November 2013, we have 269 registered patients.
As most of our clients live below the bread-line, whenever possible, poverty relief is provided in the form of material support, but never in cash:  each patient receives a basic monthly food parcel; medical supplies and equipment are issued when necessary and donations received from the community are distributed appropriately.   
Patient Support Groups are an important part of our project offering clients the opportunity to meet with their peers to discuss and solve any problems, to encourage one another, and to spend time with the caregivers in a group situation.  At these gatherings educational presentations are made on various topics and spiritual support is offered by church ministers.  Handcraft is taught, both as a form of therapy and for skills development purposes.  When possible a light meal is served to the attendees at the end of the meeting.
The Orphans & Vulnerable Children (OVC) program offers care and support to the children of our patients in the form of support groups, basic food parcels, distribution of donated items, help with school homework, etc. We have a team of 7 caregivers, under the supervision of the OVC Coordinator specially employed to take care of the children.  As at the end of November 2013, we have 216 registered OVC aged from infants to 18 years old.
Because Camdeboo Hospice believes that Education + Awareness = Prevention, we employ an Educator/Motivator to provide HIV&AIDS, Cancer and TB Education and Awareness presentations at all schools, government departments, churches, businesses, etc.   3 annual calendar events are organised and presented in the community:   International Hospice week, International Palliative Care Day and World Aids Day.
Camdeboo Hospice instils a sense of hope in the lives of people in the final stages of their illness.  We help them to live the best quality of life possible even during the course of their illness and we encourage and support their loved ones.
“Hospice workers have proclaimed through their loving care of those who are dying, that people are infinitely precious.    That even at the end of their lives they matter most.”                                                                                                Nelson Mandela

Please note that weekly Jumble Sales are held every Friday from the garage at Camdeboo Hospice from 09h00 to 11h00, at 18 Church Square, Graaff-Reinet. Good quality clothing, shoes, household items, bri-a-brac etc are sold at crazy low prices.

Natural Hospice Honey is sold at R46 per 375g bottle and is available from our office as well as Oasis, Brian Bands, Reinet Antiques and Reinet Studios. The pure honey comes from the Western Cape and is distributed by Van Loveren Wine Estates.