Come si cura la morte. Viaggio negli hospice dove ci si prende cura del fine vita

www.fainotizia.it - ​​End of Life Never by Daniela Sala Palliative care is end-of-life care. Once medicine recognizes that nothing can be done to defeat the disease, much remains to be done regarding the care of the patient, their dignity, and their families. There is a law, Law 38 of 2010, which establishes the right of every person to access palliative care and pain management. The law provides for the creation of a network, headed by local health authorities, to provide ongoing care for the patient at home (when possible) or through hospitalization in dedicated facilities. And there is even a law from 1999 that allocated funds for the construction of these facilities: hospices. Hospices are neither residential nursing homes (RSA) nor hospices. And to be accredited by the national health system, they must meet specific criteria: single rooms, qualified staff, space for family members, and recreational areas for patients. In 2010, the year of the last official census, there were 229 hospices in Italy, run by private individuals, foundations, or public bodies. The regions with the highest number of hospices per capita are Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy. Meanwhile, there are regions with only one or two hospices that haven't even used the 1999 funds. In short, while the right is guaranteed on paper, the quality of care is not equally guaranteed to all citizens. There's another problem: it's estimated that as many as 9 out of 10 patients are not informed of their actual health condition or the fact that their prognosis is no more than three months to live. Thus, there are patients who, until their final days, undergo chemotherapy or other invasive treatments, hoping for an impossible improvement, resulting in a serious deterioration in their quality of life and deprived of the ability to make informed decisions. Interviews with: Rossella Restuccia, Sue Ryder Foundation; Claudio Lunghini, Friends of Eleonora Onlus; Valentina Pirone, coordinator of the nursing staff at the Villa Giovanna Hospice; Italo Penco, coordinator of the Italian Society of Palliative Care - Lazio section; Furio Zucco, editor of the monograph "Hospices in Italy 2010 - Second Official Survey"; Gianlorenzo Scaccabarozzi, vice president of the National Palliative Care Commission; Silvana Zambrini, head of Antea volunteers; Riccardo Sonnino, Antea physician; Paolo Notaro, No Pain Onlus; Emiliana Gemellini, head of human resources at the N. Falde Hospice; Meri Negrelli, File volunteer; Elena and Stefania, File volunteers; Gioia Pastacaldi, contact person at the Fiore di Primavera hospice - Prato Music: Atomik Circus, "Butterfly effect" Atomik Circus, "Dancing with Eagles" Anitek, "Waiting Process" Dteix, "Oxygen" Traffic In My Head, "Wake Up"