The regional broadcaster rbb24 reported on the morning of 1 November 2026 on end-of-life support at the Evangelical Willi-Kupas House Care Centre in Wittenberge presented. Staff describe how the home organises end-of-life care as an integral part of everyday care, with individually tailored rituals such as a favourite drink or soothing hand massages, time for conversations and a sense of closeness.
The Willi-Kupas-Haus is located in Wittenberge, in the Prignitz district in Brandenburg. It is run by Lafim Diakonie. The facility describes an approach to care that combines palliative and gerontological elements. The report gives no specific figures. However, it says that a significant proportion of residents die at the home, and that the procedures for supporting them are therefore well established. GPs and pastoral care are named as partners; the aim is to integrate medical care, nursing and psychosocial support.
The report distinguishes between facts and assessments: the location in Wittenberge, the fact that Lafim Diakonie runs the home, and the approach of embedding end-of-life care in its care model are presented as established facts. Attributed statements concern the rituals described and the team’s experience of dealing with death and grief. It remains unclear whether the home intends to expand its services; no announcements to that effect have been made.
The report is part of a broader trend. Many residential care homes for older people in Germany have been incorporating palliative approaches into their care plans for years. These include training, communication standards for residents and their relatives, and arrangements with external services. According to rbb24, the facility in Wittenberge emphasises that end-of-life decisions should be supported not only medically, but also with regard to residents’ life histories and pastoral needs—for example, by maintaining familiar routines or taking into account wishes documented during their stay.
In practice, this places considerable demands on staff and their qualifications. Care workers must relieve symptoms, hold conversations and organise routines in a way that allows for calm and consistency. Relatives find this reassuring, but often still face difficult decisions. The rbb24 report shows how the Willi-Kupas-Haus seeks to bring both together: professionally informed care and an approach that puts dignity and closeness at its heart.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).