Presentation of the 2017 annual report; Credit: Omega 90

The year 2017 was a dynamic year for Omega 90, the Luxembourg association for the promotion of palliative care, as revealed in its recently published annual report.

As well as the retirement of former director Henri Grün and the arrival of Christine Dahm as new director, demand for the activities of the association's four services increased in 2017, especially for Consulting and Haus Omega.

Counseling psychotherapists assisted nearly 1,200 bereaved children, adolescents and adults (864 adults, 279 children or adolescents and their families) in 3,244 counseling sessions. The purpose of these meetings is the use of resources, the stabilisation of the bereaved person and the reduction of bereavement-related symptoms. Likewise, Haus Omega, a palliative care centre for end-of-life patients, received 127 patients (64 men, 63 women) for an average length of stay of 41 days (median duration: 17 days). The majority of patients (35%) stayed between one week and one month with the average age being 72.87 years old. 

Moreover, the Training Department provided training in palliative care to a total of 850 professionals from the health sector and psycho-socio-educational field and organised public conferences attended by 300 people. The Volunteer Service, meanwhile, managed a network of 72 active volunteers, aged between 35 and 80, who accompanied end-of-life patients in hospitals, care homes and CIPAs, at Haus Omega and at home.

Regarding finance, €5,634,000 was spent on providing Omega 90 services in 2017. The activity is largely financed by agreements with the Ministry of the Family and the CNS, and even by subsidies from the Ministry of Health. However, a growing part of the expenses must be financed by donations; last year, these amounted to €676,000.

Other highlights of 2017 were the creation of Netzwierk Palliativ Geriatrie Lëtzebuerg, created in October last year by six insitutitions participating in the Palliative Geriatrie pilot project, and the visit of St. Christopher's Hospice in London. Founded in the 1960s, the hospice is considered the cradle of palliative care. The visit enabled the participants to compare the practice of palliative care in this hospice in London with the situation in Luxembourg.