Jacques spends his last weeks in hospice: “I’m not afraid of death”

A full-fledged villa on the outskirts of Haarlem opposite the football fields of royal HFC looks like a law firm from the outside. Upon entering, there is no sign of that businesslikeness and you imagine yourself in a hint of homeliness and warmth.

In Hospice Haarlem, next to Jacques de Jong, there are still five sick people who have a maximum of three months to live. They choose to die here with assistance if family or friends are unable to do so or if the terminally ill person does not want to burden his loved ones with it. A hospice then offers a solution and guides the disease to a dignified end.

Passion and passion

Although death is imminent, every effort is made to make the closing chapter as pleasant as possible. Every evening there is a fresh meal, the laundry is done, the garden is maintained and the guests are taken care of: all this by a group of about 150 volunteers who do their work with great care.

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“Working with passion and passion”, agrees Pauline Jäger, director of Hospice Haarlem since 2016. “We have been here for 35 years and are actually the second hospice in the Netherlands. It is really special to work here, because I come from a completely different world.”

From chemist to hospice

Pauline previously worked as a chemist on large international studies, which was also nice, but there were many more layers. “This is authentic, I work for the first time in an environment where we can do what we say. If care is needed, we offer it. Are there any wishes? Then we will arrange it.”

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This happened, for example, with Jacques de Jong, who is currently staying in hospice. After his arrival, his computer was ready in the room. He needed it to finish the last edition of his newspaper, De Volksknar.

Jacques set up this special newspaper after more than thirty years of service at de Volkskrant. “De Volksknar, derived from Volkskrant, is a club magazine for pensioners from de Volkskrant and related”, says the journalist. “Thank God I was able to finish the last issue, edition 407, here. I’m proud of that.”

The hospice often receives this kind of request and it can always be arranged. Yet something is also gnawing at Pauline. Because she would prefer to guide everyone who asks in the last phase of life, but that is impossible. They have room for six guests, but the number of requests is higher.

“We have to refuse about fifty percent of the people who want to stay here. That is annoying, also because we see that an increasing number of people are asking for our care,” says Pauline.

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That care does not only consist of the six places in the hospice. They also guide people in the last phase of their lives who still live at home and there is still a lot to be gained there.

“Giving someone at home that guidance is how we once started,” continues Pauline. “We therefore relieve loved ones and are a listening ear for the terminally ill. If people do not need us, we take a step back. We are only there when necessary.”

This form of guidance is also beneficial for other care providers such as regular home care and hospitals. “In these times it is desirable to live at home as long as possible and we can support this. We would therefore like to offer more care at home,” says Pauline.

Often there is the wish to die at home. But not everyone is open to the guidance of a hospice volunteer at home, in addition to the care providers who are already present.

Mission

“If I were sick myself, I might not want to have more people over,” says the director. “Still, I hope that more people will be open to our help at home. We often hear people say afterwards: if only you had come sooner. We really have a mission there.”

On the other hand, Pauline wants more beds. “We want a second location, or at least more beds; preferably from six to twelve beds. That requires a lot, such as a place and money. But above all, I think it is important that people know that we are there, what we do. Because that’s so beautiful.”