24/7 Home Care: Night & On-Call

What does Spitex do around the clock in an emergency?

Spitex clients are not normally cared for around the clock. The employees are not permanently on site. If an emergency arises, it is quite possible that the responsible specialists are caring for other people.

Help must of course still arrive as quickly as possible. In such cases, clients should contact the 24-hour emergency hotline. You can reach them around the clock and medical and nursing professionals will be on the scene quickly.

Some Spitex organizations provide their clients with small emergency desks. These prove to be particularly valuable if they are unable to make a call. All it takes is the press of a button to trigger an emergency call.

This is received directly by the nearest emergency call center. It immediately organizes help on site and informs the necessary specialists. They immediately set off to help.

For all of this to work smoothly, however, it is essential that the emergency switchboard is accessible at all times. Ideally, clients should always carry it with them at night or when they are alone at home.

Spitex clients do not only need support during the day. It can happen that a nursing emergency occurs during the night. In such cases, the services of night-time Spitex are in demand. It not only provides relief for the clients themselves. Relatives can also breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that they can rely on professional support at all times.

Night respite care is a specialized service. The employees take on a variety of tasks, including:

• Help with getting to bed
• Repositioning clients
• Attaching and removing infusions
• Administering medication
• Going to the bathroom

However, Night Spitex not only provides medical and nursing services. Many people are familiar with the following problem: they simply cannot get a good night's sleep. Worries and fears take over and rob sleep. Many clients have negative thoughts about the future.

The staff at Night Spitex are always ready to listen, even late at night. They address these fears and worries and hold clarifying and professional discussions. At the same time, they naturally show a high degree of empathy. They ensure that clients feel understood and can sleep with peace of mind.

Many clients manage quite well on their own during the day. However, their strength often wanes in the evening. Particularly if they have a cold, those affected feel much worse late at night and sometimes struggle through the night.

The body comes to rest during this time and the adrenaline levels that have carried it through the day drop. It is therefore hardly surprising that more support is often needed in the evening and at night. But that should not be a reason to give up your own home.

It is full of memories and is an important symbol of independence. For older people in particular, their own four walls have a very special meaning. Nobody wants to give up the feeling of security and safety that their home offers.

At best, clients can stay in their home until the end of their lives, even if they need support at night. This is exactly what Night Spitex makes possible. It therefore makes a significant contribution to improving quality of life. As a rule, it is available from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Optimum care at all times thanks to on-call service

Some Spitex organizations offer a 24-hour on-call service. For example, one Spitex organization cooperates with the Swiss Red Cross for this purpose. Clients not only have the option of saving the telephone numbers of their relatives on the SRC's emergency call. They can also have the contact details of the Spitex organization they have contracted noted there.

The 24-hour on-call service is primarily aimed at clients who live alone or have no social network. If they wish to continue living in their own four walls, they must be able to rely on other forms of support. This is exactly what the on-call service offers.

It is not uncommon for clients to have relatives who live very far away and cannot be there immediately. They may also be very busy at work and therefore lack the necessary time flexibility. In such cases, Spitex can be entered as the emergency call address.

Staff need access to the home so that they can come to the rescue at any time as part of the on-call service. They therefore need a key to be able to enter if the clients cannot make it to the door. If you don't want to entrust a key to someone permanently, you can install a key safe as an alternative.

All these services can only be used by clients who are connected to the Red Cross Emergency Call. You can register with the relevant Swiss Red Cross office or the relevant Spitex.

A monthly fee is charged for the 24-hour on-call service. Emergency interventions by Spitex are also associated with financial costs. In addition, the SRC charges for the installation of an emergency call device so that specialists can be alerted quickly. The installation and rental of the device require further financial outlay.

People who do not have the necessary means may be able to obtain the services at reduced rates. No one should have to give up their physical integrity for financial reasons. The SRC will be happy to advise you and your relatives. The same applies to the responsible Spitex.

How does Spitex work around the clock at weekends?

Naturally, clients can also rely on comprehensive emergency support at the weekend. The on-call service, Expressspitex and the 24-hour emergency call are available at all times. After all, emergencies do not stop at weekends and on public holidays. No one should lack the necessary medical and nursing care on these days.

We at OPAN® will be happy to advise you on the options available to Spitex clients in an emergency. We can also help you to find a suitable organization that can provide the necessary support during the day. To this end, we have developed an online platform that brings clients together with Spitex organizations.

Only a few clicks separate you from optimal care. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or would like our support.