Living will and health care proxy
Arbitration board of the German Hospice Foundation
Advises on conflicts relating to living wills.
Internet: www.stiftung-patientenschutz.de/service/patientenverfuegung_vollmacht/schiedsstelle-patientenverfuegung Telephone: 0231-7380730
Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection
Legal information on guardianship law, living wills and health care proxies.
Internet: www.bmjv.de/DE/Themen/VorsorgeUndPatientenrechte/VorsorgeUndPatientenrechte_node.html
Support services for patients and relatives
Federal Ministry of Health
Provides advice on the legal basis and entitlements, insurance and health prevention.
Internet: www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de
Public authority telephone number: 115 Citizens’ hotline for health insurance: 030 / 340 60 66 – 01 Citizens’ hotline for long-term care insurance: 030 / 340 60 66 – 02 Citizens’ hotline for preventive health care: 030 / 340 60 66 – 03
Advice service for the deaf and hearing-impaired: e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] Sign language telephone (video telephony): www.gebaerdentelefon.de/bmg
Independent Patient Counseling Service Germany (UPD)
Answers questions on legal, medical and psychosocial problems.
Telephone: 0800 / 0 11 77 22 Internet: www.patientenberatung.de
International Society for Assisted Dying and Assisted Living e.V.
Internet: www.igsl-hospiz.de
German Hospice and Palliative Association
Brings the idea of hospice closer to society, publishes information and brochures on the subject of dying and support. The association also publishes current news and events.
Internet: www.dhpv.de
Nicolaidis YoungWings Foundation
Is one of many self-help groups. The foundation is primarily for young bereaved people and children who have lost a parent.
Internet: www.nicolaidis-youngwings.de/
Institute for Grief Work (ITA) e.V.
Accompanies and advises mourners and bereavement counselors. They offer individual discussions, groups and grief seminars.
Internet: www.ita-ev.de
Telephone counseling
Offers anyone seeking advice the opportunity to receive free and anonymous telephone help and support.
Telephone 0800/1110111 or 0800/1110222 Internet: www.telefonseelsorge.de
Psychotherapy information service
Belongs to the German Psychologists Academy and helps to find suitable therapists in the vicinity.
Internet: www.psychotherapiesuche.de
Literature for relatives and patients
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross 2010: “What death can teach us”. Knaur, 2010
Martin Fegg et al: “Psychology and palliative care. Tasks, concepts and interventions in the support of patients and relatives”. Kohlhammer, 2012
The book is one of a series of publications on the support and care of seriously ill and dying people and their relatives (Münchner Reihe Palliative Care).
Christine Fleck-Bohaumilitzky: How children experience death and grief,Bavarian State Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, Families and Women. Online article from 18.06.2002, revised October 2019, at: www.familienhandbuch.de/familie-leben/schwierige-zeiten/tod-trauer/wiekindertodundtrauererleben.php
German Cancer Aid
German Cancer Aid publishes “blue guides” on many different topics – including the blue guide on palliative care.
Internet: www.krebshilfe.de/informieren/ueber-krebs/infothek/infomaterial-kategorie/die-blauen-ratgeber/
Opportunities for training to become an end-of-life caregiver
International Society for Accompaniment of the Dying and Assisted Living
Offers training or further training opportunities to become an end-of-life caregiver. There are basic seminars and specific further training courses, for example on caring for dementia patients.
Internet: ww.igsl-hospiz.de
Hospice associations
Author & source information
This text complies with the requirements of medical literature, medical guidelines and current studies and has been reviewed by medical professionals.
