“Our residents will be patients who are doing too well to go to a palliative care unit at the hospital but who will be too fragile to stay at home, or who have no home. »Doctor Georges Czapiuk, palliative care doctor at the Hospital des Diaconesses in Paris (12th century), and the coordinating nurse Caroline Thiery summarize the profile of the people they are preparing to take care of at the Studios de la Tourelle. , being created within the Fondation des Diaconesses.
These four therapeutic coordination apartments (ACT) dedicated to palliative care will be inaugurated in October. This is a pilot experiment launched by a multidisciplinary team and by Helebor (formerly the Palliative Care Fund), with the support of the regional health agency (ARS).
Here, patients with advanced cancers, neurodegenerative diseases or awaiting transplants can live here. “These are people with a serious, progressive and life-threatening disease,” explains Dr. Czapiuk. Only conditions: not to earn more than 1300 euros per month and to be under 60 years old. “Beyond that, the person will be directed to nursing homes,” explains Véronique Sigwarth, head of the ACT department.
Benevolent and protective cocoon
This intermediary between hospital and home wants to be a kind of benevolent and protective cocoon for people often dented by life, sometimes without income or without papers.
The residents will be cared for, accompanied and listened to. They will consult doctors specializing in pain, psychologists, occupational therapists, etc. An educational and social guide will help them with their shopping and grooming, and specialist educators will closely monitor the social worker.
Patients will pay “rent” of 90 to 120 euros per month, “zero euros if he is without resources”, specifies Véronique Sigwarth, supported in this project by Sandra Sotron, socio-educational coordinator. Meals and personal expenses are his responsibility “but we provide food aid and hygiene products if necessary”.
“We will also help them in their professional integration,” adds Caroline Thiery. Because, yes, we can have an incurable progressive disease but be able to work. “The advances in the treatment of pain are incredible. And, above all, having a professional activity does a lot of good for some! “
This cocoon could produce unexpected effects on the patient’s prognosis: “We have already seen cancers suddenly stabilize,” says Véronique Sigwarth, who relies on her experience with conventional ACTs but where some residents had the criteria for palliative care. Being able to sit down, have a home, a dedicated network of practitioners, without stress: this sometimes offers very nice surprises. “
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