Donate
Jump to content
Jump to content

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 Offers for siblings Psychological support Social law advice Further offers

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.
A woman in a red jacket gently places her hand on the shoulder of a smiling young girl in a wheelchair, outdoors in a sunny park.

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.
A caregiver in a blue uniform holds a smiling baby with a nasal tube, outside near a garden.

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.
Two people holding hands outdoors, with a blurred green background, symbolizing connection and support.

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.
A caregiver in blue scrubs sits on a rock, gently touching a smiling child in a wheelchair, outdoors in a sunny park.

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.

Morning routines

The day begins quietly – each family wakes up at their own pace. Afterwards, anyone who wishes to do so can meet for breakfast in our dining room. We are happy to cater to special needs and dietary requirements.

Daily routine

The morning is organised individually: games, creative activities or therapies such as music, occupational or physiotherapy are available. Clinic clowns also bring joy. This leaves time for parents and siblings, for example for joint excursions.

Lunch

From 12 noon onwards, we serve freshly cooked meals in the dining room or, weather permitting, on the terrace. Each family decides for themselves how quickly they want to eat. On Thursdays, we offer a variety of vegetarian menus on our ‘Veggie Day’.

Afternoon activities

In the afternoon, guests can enjoy the garden, playgrounds or cosy relaxation areas. Activities such as yoga, massages, aromatherapy and animal-assisted therapy are available. Siblings have their own time slot from 2 to 6 p.m., while parents can take part in workshops or seek advice. Cake or ice cream round off the afternoon.

Evening entertainment

A communal dinner concludes the day. Afterwards, there is time for individual pursuits: reading in the fireplace room, billiards in the recreation room, or films, karaoke and games in the youth room.

Night Care

At night, our experienced care team provides loving care for the children. This allows parents to sleep peacefully and recharge their batteries.

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.

Anne Hagen & Katja Eichstaedt

Anne Hagen
Katja Eichstaedt

Offers for siblings

We offer conversations, creative activities and safe places where siblings can express their feelings and simply be children.

A young girl with glasses and a striped shirt is blowing bubbles outdoors, with blurred people and greenery in the background.

Siblings time

Siblings of children with life-shortening illnesses are often overshadowed by the daily routine of care. At Sternenbrücke, we therefore dedicate a special sibling time to them every day from 2 to 6 p.m. – full of imagination, play and attention. Our educational team accompanies the children and young people with sensitivity and builds trust so that they can express their needs and wishes.

Hand holding a tag with a drawing of a bear and German text "Ich bin der Stark Bär" against a blurred background of greenery.

Support for siblings in mourning

Siblings also grieve in their own way. At our Rainbow Club, they can talk openly about their feelings and fears with our grief counsellors and peers. We also offer adventure days for bereaved siblings. Here, they can spend valuable time with others in similar situations, finding comfort and renewed strength.

To bereavement counselling

Siblings report

A young man and woman smiling, wearing green and blue soccer jerseys, sitting together outdoors with trees in the background.

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.

Tjara

“When I arrive at Sternenbrücke, the whole burden falls away from me.”

Alex

"Death is simply a part of life. Every day that I have with my sister is a wonderful moment."

Tjara

“The sibling weekends enable a much more intensive exchange because everyone can understand the situation.”

Alex

“The good fortune of being healthy should definitely be valued more.”

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.

Two people holding hands, one wearing a black sleeve and a beaded bracelet, with a blurred outdoor background.

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.
Woman sitting in a wicker chair, smiling while talking on the phone and holding a clipboard, in a bright room with large windows.

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.
Two people in winter coats walk on a path through a grassy area, with a large building and playground equipment in the background.

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.

By loading the video, you accept YouTube's privacy policy.

We require your consent to show you a YouTube video here. YouTube sets its own cookies when you access the video.

Privacy Policy

Play video

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.

Required steps

We support families right from the moment they first register. Around eight weeks before the stay, our team clarifies the most important details and prepares the applications so that parents only have to sign them. We also help with questions about travel costs or arrival and departure.

Required Documents

The following are generally required for admission: application for hospice care (§39a (1) SGB V), doctor's prescription for hospice care, questionnaire on the need for hospice care, if applicable. Our team will then take care of the rest.

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.

Two people smiling outdoors, one with red hair in a gray sweater, the other with short hair in a pink scarf and black top.

Interview with the team of social law advice

An interview with Lisa and Claudia provides further insights into their work and shows how they support affected families.

To the interview

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.
Person giving a back massage, with hands applying pressure. The recipient is lying down, partially covered with a striped towel.

Massages

Once a month, a holistic massage invites you to pause for a moment of relaxation and recuperation.
A woman sits cross-legged on a yoga mat, facing a group lying down in a calm, softly lit room.

Yoga & Meditation

Our yoga and meditation classes offer peace, balance, and renewed energy to residents, relatives, and staff.
A woman wearing glasses and a striped shirt sculpts a large, abstract stone piece in a bright room with a window in the background.

Stone workshop

The stone workshop creates lasting mementos that express grief, love, and connection.
Hands gently massaging a forearm with a leafy tattoo design.

Shiatsu

Shiatsu supports the body, mind, and soul –mindful touch creates space for strength and inner balance.
A person sketching a garden scene on a clipboard outdoors, with flowers and greenery in the background.

Painting workshop

In creative painting classes, parents can express their feelings artistically and recharge their batteries.
Person applying green kinesiology tape to another person's leg, focusing on the hands and tape.

Medical taping

Gentle taping can relieve tension, alleviate pain, and noticeably improve well-being.
Person sewing with a white sewing machine, focused on the digital display and controls, in a brightly lit room.

Sewing workshop

This is where lovingly crafted garments and creative works are produced – individual and practical.
Person writing on a blue paper with a pencil, wearing a blue sweater and a striped shirt, seated at a wooden table.

Writing workshop

The writing workshop invites you to put your thoughts and feelings into words and find creative ways of expressing yourself.

Frequently askedquestions

View all FAQs