Foundation objectives & Mission statement

Foundation objectives

In recent decades, the possibilities for life support have greatly advanced thanks to technical and pharmaceutical progress, and expectations for the prospects of success have correspondingly increased. Nevertheless, intensive care measures are generally very stressful for both the patient and their relatives and do not in every case lead to the hoped-for restoration of health. On the contrary, many former intensive care patients exhibit increased mortality even after hospital discharge. Furthermore, long-term health limitations – particularly the "Post-Intensive Care Syndrome" – can significantly burden the quality of life.
To define differentiated treatment goals that are not solely aimed at survival, it is therefore of central importance for patients and their relatives to understand which goals can realistically be achieved with intensive care treatment in which clinical situations.
The right to self-determination also plays a decisive role in the case of patients lacking capacity. Through advanced care planning or a living will, people can determine in advance whether they would agree to or refuse an intensive care intervention under certain conditions.

Vision

Our vision is that patients and relatives know that

• they are not alone in this critical situation and can request help and advice from us.

• we provide precise and understandable information about every intensive care treatment method and present the potential long-term consequences of intensive care treatment.

• the informed individuals concerned have the necessary competence to conduct purposeful and factual discussions with the treating doctors/nursing teams.

• the well-considered treatment strategy defined in the discussions corresponds to the will of the sick person.

• we offer help to those affected even after hospital discharge to find their way back to everyday life.

Mission

We aim to specifically support the following areas:

• Education: We promote the engagement of affected patients and their relatives or legal representatives in preparing for and coping with a stay in the intensive care unit. Education, awareness-raising, empowerment, and the provision of understandable and reliable information materials enable a better understanding of the possibilities and limits of intensive care medicine.

• Strengthening Health Literacy: We support initiatives that improve health literacy. This way, we want to empower those affected – both adults and children – to make autonomous and well-informed decisions about medical treatments.

• Rehabilitation and Reintegration: We facilitate the best possible return to everyday life by providing advisory and supportive assistance to patients with long-term consequences. Furthermore, we promote the formation of self-help groups to enable exchange and mutual strengthening.

• Education and Research: We promote projects that improve communication between healthcare professionals and those affected, as well as research projects that contribute to the prevention, early detection, and treatment of potential long-term consequences of a stay in the ICU.