An in-house cinema with plush cushioned seats. A board games room. Even a spa, a salon, and a fully stocked bar. No, we aren’t talking about a swanky country club – this is Oasis@Outram, a 900sqm day hospice that’s looking to reimagine end-of-life care for seniors.
A collaborative effort between HCA Hospice (HCA) and the philanthropic Lien Foundation, Oasis@Outram is now in its third year of operation at Outram Community Hospital and focuses on a care model which hinges on freedom of choice.
Patients are able – and encouraged – to fill their day with activities that spark the most joy, be it baking sessions, rounds of mahjong, or simply kicking back and enjoying a manicure.
Entry is free for HCA-referred adult and younger paediatric patients who have life-limiting illnesses like organ failure or cancer, with a prognosis of less than a year. This includes two-way transport, meals and all activities at Oasis@Outram.
The novel approach seeks to encourage patients to take a more active look at the care they’re receiving in their final days – while simultaneously dispelling the latent unease shrouding palliative care and other end-of-life matters.
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Care model focus on Dignity makes Oasis@Outram different
Boey Lai Hsia, current head of Day Hospices at HCA and former centre manager of Oasis@Outram describes the facility as the “Club Med” of day hospices, with swanky amenities like a jacuzzi, indoor greenhouse, and, yes, beer on tap at the open bar.
But it’s not just the fancy fittings that makes this centre different.
These include cooking classes, finger painting, flower arrangement workshops and more – all deliberately designed to encourage personal development. Patients can also express interest in specific topics at Oasis@Outram, who will try to meet their requests (often with the help of volunteers.)
Credit: Facebook/HCA Hospice @hcahospice
Both these lead into the third goal of dignity, which Oasis@Outram furthers by encouraging interactions between adult and child patients along with their caregivers, who are free to join any daily activity.
Furthermore, patients’ emotional needs and wellbeing are also addressed. Psychosocial care meetings with medical social workers are arranged to help patients find closure on end-of-life issues that might lead to regret – for example, mending estranged relationships with loved ones.
The benefits of “adding life to days, rather than just days to life” extend beyond patient fulfilment.
Awareness of free services at Oasis@Outram remains low
That said, increasing awareness about the existence of free facilities like Oasis@Outram – and the nuances that differentiate it from other hospices – has been difficult.
Lai Hsia shares that the key focus of hospices has always remained on providing quality care, which means that there are correspondingly few resources to devote to public awareness campaigns.
As a result, Oasis@Outram still runs below its full operating capacity of 45 patients daily.
Adding happiness, and by extension, removing unhappiness, is a very profound thing. At the end of the day, this is what we call good death. This is what we really do. We try to prepare our patients as much as possible for this.
Oasis@Outram Day Hospice
Location: 10 Hospital Boulevard, #02-01 Outram Community Hospital, Singapore 168582
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri, 7am - 7pm
Tel: +65 6251 2561
Website: https://www.hca.org.sg/day-hospice/
