Chennai: For 49-year-old housewife E Devi, caring for her ailing mother-in-law at home lasted less than two days.When Bhagya Ammal, 84, had slipped and fallen in her bathroom more than a month ago, she was taken to a private hospital, where doctors found nine cancerous tumors in her body.When doctors told her she was too frail to survive surgeries to remove tumours, or undergo aggressive therapy, her family took her home, hoping to manage her care themselves. But the physical and emotional tollproved overwhelming almost immediately. “We could do that even two days. It was too much her and for us,” Devi said.The family eventually turned to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGH), which referred them to a new facility — Tamil Nadu’s first government-run hospice care centre, which opened this year at Tambaram Government Hospital. “They give her medicines to manage aches and pains. We know she may not live long, but at least she is not suffering,” Devi said.Bhagya Ammal is now one of six patients receiving care at the centre, attached to the RGGH, and offers end-of-life support for terminally ill patients who can no longer benefit from curative treatment. The facility fills a gap for families who find both home care and continued hospital treatment untenable — medically, financially, physically or emotionally.“Hospice care combines the facilities of a hospital with the care of a home,” said Dr Mallika T, a senior palliative care specialist in the city. “It is more common in Western countries, but still limited in India. A hospice center takes care of everything, from daily needs to the last rites. The public should make good use of the facilities.”The building has a layered history. It served as an isolation ward for foreign passengers during the Covid-19 pandemic before being repurposed into an 180-bed facility in February. Six doctorsr, including a psychiatrist who provides grief counseling to family attendants, staff the centre.Chief medical officer Anitha Raj said the center is designed to relieve families of the round-the-clock burden of caregiving. “We have dedicated staff to look after each patient. Everything from cleaning to changing diapers is taken care of by them,” she said. “This allows attendants to go home, rest at night and return refreshed. Many are now able to plan their day and spend time with their loved ones.”Plans are underway to expand the center’s offerings with yoga sessions, outdoor activities and a small park for patients. “We have enough wheelchairs to take them around,” Raj said. “Staying inside the ward all the time is not good for everyone. They need fresh air.” The hospital is seeking contributions from NGOs and corporate social responsibility initiatives to support the expansion.
