Belgium's 'House of Passages': Coexisting Birth and End-of-Life Care

The Passages House Concept

• 💡 The 'Passages' house in Brussels uniquely integrates a birthing center with an end-of-life care apartment, fostering a community where birth and death occur side-by-side.
• 🎯 This project aims to revolutionize our approach to the start and end of life by providing a middle-care solution, neither at home nor in a traditional hospital.
• 🔑 The initiative was founded by residents of the building, with midwives and volunteers providing 24/7 care.

Birthing Center Experience

• 👶 Expecting mothers like Natasha and Greguar are cared for in a calm, natural birthing environment, distinct from typical hospital settings.
• 🌸 The birthing center prioritizes a natural birth without epidurals, requiring mothers to feel safe and trusted.
• ⚠️ A candle at the entrance signals a birth in progress, while complications can lead to transfer to a hospital.

End-of-Life Care and Euthanasia

• 😔 Bernadet, suffering from terminal melanoma, chose to live her final days at the Passages house, finding comfort and freedom to discuss life and death.
• 💬 The house encourages open conversations about mortality, with residents and volunteers supporting those at the end of life.
• ⚖️ Bernadet, a Belgian citizen, has filed a request for euthanasia, a legal option in Belgium since 2002, finding reassurance in having this choice.

Community and Support

• 🤝 Residents and a rotor of 60 volunteers contribute between 5 to 20 hours per week, offering support through cooking and companionship.
• 💖 The project, established in 2020, relies on community effort, with only one paid employee, and has received European and Regional funding.
• 💔 Despite the support, news of a chosen date for euthanasia remains difficult, even for those who have accompanied many to their end.

Life and Death Intertwined

• ✨ The birth of baby Kcha brings joy, with the new parents introducing her to Bernadet shortly before her passing.
• 🌳 Both newborns and those who have died are commemorated on a 'tree of life,' symbolizing the continuous cycle of life within the house.
• 💖 The Passages house uniquely blends happy and sad memories, viewing birth and death as integral stages of life.