Feeling at home
Designing a hospice with the emphasis of making it
feel like home
Emmy Andersson
A hospice is a form of care for severely ill and dying people, based on respect for personal integrity, good nursing and symptom relief as well as psychosocial
support for the whole family. In Sweden around 90 000 people die every year. Out of them 70-75 000 needs some form of palliative care. Today there are only around 150 beds in hospices all over the country. Therefore only 150 people out of 75 000 will be able to pass away in a hospice.
The current covid-19 pandemic has shed a light on the terrible care for the elderly and dying in Sweden. When starting this project many I talked to did not know what a hospice was. So I saw this project as a chance to spread knowledge about palliative care and to open up the discussion on what we can do for the dying and elderly.
The hospice will be placed in Skellefteå. The politicians keep insisting that a hospice is not necessary since there is one in Umeå. Umeå is 2 hours away and only have 16 beds. These beds is not only for Umeå and Skellefteå, but all of Västerbotten which has a population over 200 000.
Skellefteå has a rich history of wood construction and the site chosen in Skellefteå used to be a lumber mill. Therefore the design, construction and material will be chosen and inspired by history. The interior design is going to be based on the idea of “home”. A hospice offers a warm and comfortable atmosphere at the end of life, and where most people feel comfortable is their home.
A hospice is an environment which treats people that is severely ill and dying with the integrity and respect that they deserve at the end of their lives. Dying people is nothing to be scared of and we should do our utmost to help them pass away in a comfortable environment.
