After decades of dedicated service, the St Luke’s Combined Hospices Kenilworth in-patient unit, an 18-bed facility specialising in end-of-life care and family support, will permanently close its doors at the end of this month, 31 December 2024.
Did finances lead to this decision?
Community needs and not finances, mainly drove the decision. Ronita Mahilall, CEO of St Luke’s Combined Hospices, stated that the organisation has prioritised expanding community-based palliative care to meet growing demand. This will allow more patients to receive care at home. This shift enables St Luke’s to support 625 patients rather than focusing on a smaller group at the in-patient unit.
‘Although finances played a role, they weren’t the primary reason for the facility’s closure,’ Mahilall said. While the non-profit has not received substantial government funding, it has benefited from strong donor support.
St Luke’s shifts focus to help more people
The organisation will now focus on day hospice and home-based care services. Private accommodation for those in the final stages of life will no longer be provided. ‘We had to weigh the odds of caring for a small group of people as opposed to the exponentially growing needs for palliative-care services especially out in the community and at home,’ said Mahilall.
According to Primedia, St Luke’s discharged and transferred the patients that were still at the facility earlier this month to other facilities for end-of-life care, like Living Hope and Abundant Life.
The community-based care team includes a medical doctor, social workers, nurses, spiritual care workers, and also bereavement counselors. Administrative, HR, and operational staff will remain at the Kenilworth building. The space previously occupied by the in-patient facility might be leased to corporates or repurposed as an independent frail-care or private hospital facility.
Palliative care facilities in the wider Cape Town region
Some of the available palliative care facilities around Cape Town are:
Living Hope – a faith-based non-profit organisation that plays a vital role in the prevention, care, and also treatment of people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS and other chronic illnesses. The healthcare centre is in Fish Hoek.
Bethesda – an in-patient unit in George that was opened in February 2002 and currently has 36 beds. Care includes palliative care and also sub-acute care.
Tygerberg Hospice – a facility in Bellville offering holistic palliative care to patients facing a life-limiting illness and support for their loved ones.
For details about more palliative care facilities in the Western Cape, click here.
What is your opinion on St Luke’s decision to close the facility, given their reasons?
Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below this article.
You can also email info@thesouthafrican.com or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
Also, follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest news.
