Anne Hagen & Katja Eichstaedt
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Family office
Families & Siblings
A life-shortening illness always affects the whole family. Siblings often experience a daily life full of worry and change. Parents have to balance medical requirements with their own feelings. At Sternenbrücke, we consciously make sure to give all members of the family space and support.
Admission
The first step towards Sternenbrücke often begins with our bridge nurse. She supports families from an early stage – whether they have questions about admission, are in the period following a diagnosis, or are going through challenging phases of the disease. With great empathy, she accompanies, advises and reassures families so that they know they are not alone on this journey.
Guidance and support
We show families ways in which they can recharge their batteries and receive support in everyday life.
Initial contact and consultation
Our bridge nurse accompanies families from the moment they first step into Sternenbrücke. She is the point of contact for questions regarding admission and coordinates the transfer from hospitals or from home.
Support from diagnosis onwards
Our bridge nurse is there to support families from the moment a life-shortening illness is diagnosed. She helps them to talk through their fears and worries and work together to find ways of dealing with them.
Support in crisis situations and at the end of life
Throughout the entire course of the illness, even during difficult phases or in the final stages of life, our bridge nurse remains close to the families and accompanies them with empathy.
Information and respite stays
Our bridge nurse also provides information about Sternenbrücke's work in clinics, institutions and self-help groups. This enables many families to learn that we are not only concerned with the final stage of life, but also with respite stays that can provide strength over many years.
Daily routine
We know that the first stay and everyday life in a children's hospice can raise many questions. That is why we would like to give you an insight into the loving and structured daily routine that gives families valuable time together.
Time together, individually arranged
Each family experiences the day according to their wishes – with space for rest, encounters, and special activities.Initial contact for families
Do you have any questions about admission to the Sternenbrücke children's hospice, or would you like to make an enquiry about a stay? Then please feel free to contact us.
Offers for siblings
We offer conversations, creative activities and safe places where siblings can express their feelings and simply be children.
Siblings report
Tjara and Alex
Alexander (19) and Tjara (20) met ten years ago at Sternenbrücke. Their time together as siblings has blossomed into a deep friendship.Psychological support
Children, adolescents, and young adults with life-shortening illnesses and their families experience intense emotional challenges. Our psychological family support offers them a safe space where they can express their feelings, share their fears, and develop individual coping strategies.
Goals of the support
In sensitive conversations, feelings can be expressed and coping strategies developed. In addition to grief and saying goodbye, the focus is also on very real-life issues such as relationships, sibling conflicts, or family stress. The main goal is to strengthen the whole family and discover resources for their future path.
Interdisciplinary collaboration
Psychological support is an integral part of the Sternenbrücke team. In close cooperation with nursing staff, doctors, and grief counselors, we provide comprehensive support that takes both physical and emotional needs into account.
Long-term support for families
Even after the death of a child, we remain at the families' side. Continuous support helps them to process their grief, develop new structures in their everyday lives, and prevent psychological stress such as depression or anxiety disorders.
Our psychologist Kira in the interview
Kira accompanies families at Sternenbrücke with great empathy. In this interview, she provides insights into her work and talks about what is particularly close to her heart.
Social law advice
We also support families in all matters relating to social law. This enables them to better cope with the often complex burdens of the illness and to recharge their batteries through respite care. Our advice begins with the application for the stay and continues beyond the loss of the sick child.
We specifically help with this
Our team supports families every step of the way, answers questions, and ensures that they receive the help they need without any complications.
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Applications
We support families with the often complex and time-consuming process of applying for nursing care and health insurance benefits.
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Argumentation aids for correspondence
We help families to formulate their concerns clearly and convincingly to authorities and institutions.
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Assistance with objection procedures
We support families when applications are rejected and they need to assert their rights.
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Further social law issues
Our team provides comprehensive advice on all aspects of social law relevant to the child's illness, e.g., severely disabled person's pass, domestic help, school assistance, changes upon reaching the age of majority, or financial assistance.
Additional offers
In addition to nursing and psychosocial support, we offer families other services that provide space for rest, creativity, and shared memories.
Offers for body and mind
Whether creative, relaxing, or invigorating: our offerings open up new ways for families to recharge their batteries.
Massages
Once a month, a holistic massage invites you to pause for a moment of relaxation and recuperation.
Yoga & Meditation
Our yoga and meditation classes offer peace, balance, and renewed energy to residents, relatives, and staff.
Stone workshop
The stone workshop creates lasting mementos that express grief, love, and connection.
Shiatsu
Shiatsu supports the body, mind, and soul –mindful touch creates space for strength and inner balance.
Painting workshop
In creative painting classes, parents can express their feelings artistically and recharge their batteries.
Medical taping
Gentle taping can relieve tension, alleviate pain, and noticeably improve well-being.
Sewing workshop
This is where lovingly crafted garments and creative works are produced – individual and practical.
Writing workshop
The writing workshop invites you to put your thoughts and feelings into words and find creative ways of expressing yourself.