During your Stay

We will be happy to accompany you on your journey to a self-determined and independent life. A good relationship between you and the staff is a decisive prerequisite for successful treatment. As well as mutual appreciation and respect, it also takes cooperation on your part. Let us work together and build on a foundation of responsibility, trust and commitment.

Responsibility
At the beginning of your treatment or rehabilitation process, we will take more responsibility. Over time, however, you will learn to take increasing responsibility for yourself. Our joint goal is a life that is as self-determined and independent as possible.

Trust
Successful treatment is based on mutual trust. We would like to gain your trust by doing what is best for you. At the same time, we will rust in the fact that you will engage with the treatment and rehabilitation process and play an active part in designing it.

We will provide you with transparent information about your diagnosis and prognosis. If you would prefer not to be informed about certain things, please let us know. We will respect your “right not to know”.

Tell us what you are worried about, what your hopes, concerns and doubts are. Ask if you do not understand something. This is the only way we can provide you with effective support on your journey and make decisions that are right for you.

We will also trust in the fact that you will let us know if you are not satisfied with something or if you see things that could be improved. We promise that critical feedback will not result in any disadvantages for you. Your suggestions will help us improve, which will benefit not only you, but also other patients.

Commitment
Health insurance and other insurance companies only cover some of the costs arising from your treatment or rehabilitation. The Swiss Paraplegic Centre is only able to offer its comprehensive services thanks to private donations and membership fees. This is why we are committed to handling our resources very carefully. As a subsidiary of the Swiss Paraplegic Foundation, we are committed to needs-based treatment and respectful support for people with a spinal cord injury or disease. We will remain committed to this in future, too.

You can provide feedback as follows:
– By having a personal discussion with your ward manager or your chief consultant;
– By placing your written concerns in the letter box (which is emptied twice a week);
– By contacting Patient Care Service for a personal discussion, extension T +41 41 939 59 49;
– By contacting Quality Management, extension T +41 41 939 59 47 or T +41 41 939 59 43;
– By contacting the Ombudsman's Office of the Swiss Paraplegic Foundation, telephone +41 41 448 34 84.

Daily newspapers
Various daily newspapers in French, German, and Italian are available in the day rooms.

Dividing walls
The modern infrastructure in the new building means that rooms can be divided into single rooms. Room allocation takes place depending on insurance class. If you would like a single room, you can book and pay for an upgrade. It may also be necessary to divide a room for
other reasons, e.g. Isolation. The Ward Management team has the right to make decisions.

Going out
You may leave the SPC premises until 10 pm if you have permission from a doctor. For legal reasons, you will need a pass to leave the clinic, which is issued by nursing staff and signed by a doctor. If you require assistance getting ready for bed after 8 pm, please arrange this
with the nursing staff.

Hairdresser
There is a hairdresser available to you in the Swiss Paraplegic Centre. Patients need to pay for this service. The hairdresser can come to your room if required.
Contact: extension 5764
Opening times:
Tuesday and Wednesday, 1 pm – 6.30 pm
Thursday, 12 pm – 5.30 pm
Friday, 8.30 am – 11.30 am
Saturday, 9.30 am – 2 pm

Independence
Everyday life is the best training. Use the activities practised in the therapies in your everyday life in the ward to develop new routines – depending on your current abilities and goals, of course. For example, handling a wheelchair while transporting a food tray, picking up
dropped objects or getting dressed and undressed.

Laundry
If you wish, you can pay to have your clothes washed and dried by our in-house laundry team. If you would like to have your laundry ironed, this will incur an additional charge. Please request further information from the nursing staff who collect and deliver your
laundry. Please note that we cannot assume any liability for damage to laundry or lost items of laundry.

Collection and delivery of laundry by nursing staff:
Monday to Friday, 10 am – 11 am

Leisure time
There are various leisure activities available to mobile and immobile patients. The nursing staff team can advise you accordingly. Please check the events calendar on the multimedia patient terminal and the notice boards on the wards.

Library
The library in the Guido A. Zäch Institute contains specialist literature, fiction, audio books, and games for you. A volunteer brings a selection of books to the wards between 7 and 9 pm every Wednesday evening.
Opening times:
Monday to Friday, 9 am – 1 pm and 2 pm – 5 pm

Moving to a different ward
In our clinic, you will be treated where the specialists best suited to your medical issues are based. This means that you might be moved to a different ward during your treatment. If you have any questions, please speak to the chief consultant on your ward.

Nursing
The nursing team is there to support you around the clock. It is important that you play your part in maintaining and improving your independence. Given the varying needs of our patients, the nursing team sets daily priorities about which nursing services can be performed
when and to which extent.

Open singing
Open singing is available to all patients, relatives and employees. You do not need to register in advance.
Saturday, 10.30 am – 11.45 am in the Prayer Room

Pastoral and spiritual care
The pastoral and spiritual care team supports and you and your relatives when you have questions or concerns irrespective of faith or cultural background. We offer rituals and religious services in the Prayer Room. Communion / Eucharist is also possible at the patient's
bedside on request.
Contact:
Ursula Walti, reformed minister, extension 5844
Stephan Lauper, Catholic theologian, extension 5843

Relatives
The Ward Management team will be happy to provide you with information about separate services such as meals, assistance, seminars, and courses for relatives. Hotel rooms and studios for relatives are available on the campus at Hotel & Conference Center Sempachersee
at special conditions.
Contact Hotel Sempachersee: extension 2323, paraplegie.ch/relatives

Shopping
You will find a wide range of everyday items on sale at the kiosk in Restaurant Centro.
Opening times:
Monday to Friday, 6.30 am – 10 pm
Saturday and Sunday, 8 am – 10 pm

Studio for Creativity
The Studio for Creativity offers a welcome distraction from the everyday routine of therapy. You can be creative in a way that reflects your ability without any pressure to perform or time pressure. You do not need to register in advance or to provide a medical prescription.
We will come to your room on request.

Contact: extension 5715
Opening times:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, 2 – 6 pm
Wednesday, 2 – 6 pm and 7 – 9 pm
Friday to Sunday, 2 – 5 pm

Therapy dog
A therapy dog team visits us regularly in the Studio for Creativity. The trained dog is happy to let you stroke it and understands you even if it is not familiar with your language.
Contact: extension 5715

Therapy plan
You will receive a therapy plan showing your personal therapy sessions and rehabilitation meetings with your treatment team. This will also show your planned discharge date. Please speak to the nursing staff if you have any questions or if there are discrepancies.

Visits
You may receive visits at the following times:
11 am – 8 pm on the Intensive Care Unit and in your room
11 am – 10 pm outside your room
Please be considerate to your room mates.

If agreed with the nursing staff, you may also receive visitors outside visiting times. Visitors are asked to eat their meals in the restaurant and to use the public toilets in the Swiss Paraplegic Centre.

Ward rounds
The times of the ward rounds vary from day to day and are different in all departments. You will find the exact times in your therapy plan.

Weekend leave
Regular weekend leave starts on Friday evening or at midday on Saturday and lasts for a maximum of 24 hours. You will require a pass to leave the clinic, which is issued by the nursing staff and signed by your doctor. Special rules apply at Easter, Christmas and New Year.

Drinks
Tea and mineral water are available free of charge. Other non-alcoholic drinks can be ordered on account from the Hotel Service during the morning and evening drinks rounds. Alcoholic drinks may be consumed in moderation. Age limits apply as stipulated in the
laws on alcohol. Please check with your doctor whether alcohol is compatible with your medication. Please note that no alcohol may be kept in the room or on the balcony.

Mealtimes
Breakfast is laid out in the day room. Lunch and dinner are served in the Casino.
Breakfast on weekdays: 7.30 – 9.30 am
Sunday and public holidays: 8.30 – 9.30 am
Sunday brunch: from 10 am
Lunch: 12 – 12.45 pm
Dinner: 6 – 6.45 pm

Members of the Hotel Service team will look after you in the Casinos. We will be happy to advise you and to help you feed yourself. If it is required for medical reasons, we will bring your meals to your room.

Meals for visitors on the ward
Visitors can eat in Restaurant Centro in the Swiss Paraplegic Centre and pay with cash or by card.

Nutritional counselling
The nutritional counsellor is the person to speak to about questions relating to nutrition during your stay. She will provide you with advice and support as well as putting together the best possible diet for you in consultation with the doctors. Please speak to your doctor
to book an appointment.

Ordering cakes, party platters, and aperitif snacks and drinks
If you would like to order a cake or a party platter for your private event in the Swiss Paraplegic Centre or to organise a small aperitif party, we will be happy to take your orders. Please let us know what you would like at least two days before the event.
Contact: extension 5699 or bestellungen-gastronomie@paraplegie.ch

Restaurant Aurora in the Guido A. Zäch Institute
You can book Restaurant Aurora for your private event. Please speak to us if you have questions or require information.
Contact Hotel Sempachersee: extension 2323

Restaurant Centro in the Swiss Paraplegic Centre
We offer you a wide range of dishes in Restaurant Centro:
– Two daily menus
– Salad and vegetarian buffet
– Various snacks in the evening
– Dessert buffet on Sunday
Opening times:
Monday to Friday, 6.30 am – 9.30 pm
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays, 8 am – 9.30 pm

Restaurant Sempia in the Hotel & Conference Center Sempachersee
The wheelchair-accessible à la carte Restaurant Sempia offers an elegant setting, attentive service and a daily offer of fresh, seasonal dishes. You do not need a pass to leave the clinic.
Contact: extension 2323
Opening times:
Tuesday to Friday, 11.30 am – 1.30 pm and 6 – 11 pm (hot food until 9.30 pm)
Monday and Saturday, 6 – 11 pm

Selecting and ordering
Our kitchen team offers a wide selection of dishes. During your stay, Hotel Service staff will be happy to help you select and order food and drink. You will also find the complete range of food on offer on your multimedia terminal.

Let the Hotel Service know what you would like to eat by 1.30 pm on the day before at the latest. If we do not receive an order by then, you will receive Menu I on the following day.

The Hotel Service team is available to take your orders as follows:
– On your ward: 9.30 am – 6 pm
– In the Casino: 12 – 1.30 pm and 6 – 7.30 pm

If you have private or semi-private insurance, you will receive additional information about our extra services. These additional services are listed in a separate brochure.

The house rules apply for everybody who spends time on the premises of the Swiss Paraplegic Group. Thank you for observing order, disposing of waste correctly and avoiding unnecessary noise.

We also ask that you follow the instructions of the clinic staff at all times.

Admission
The reception at the Swiss Paraplegic Centre and the restaurant Centro are public areas which are accessible to everybody. Restricted admission applies for all other areas.

Animals
Pets are not permitted in the clinic for reasons of hygiene. Specially trained assistance dogs are permitted in the foyer. There is a general ban on dogs on the wards and in the treatment wing.

Candles
We keep the risk of fire as low as possible in the Swiss Paraplegic Centre. This is why it is not permitted to light candles. The only exception is the candle table in the Prayer Room.

Cleaning
A room is easier to clean if it is tidy. For this reason, we would ask you to clear away your personal effects yourself. If this is not possible, the nursing staff will be happy to help you.

Electrical appliances

Our clinic's safety regulations prohibit you from bringing and using private therapy and medical devices for insurance and fire-related reasons. This includes, for example, fridges, heating cushions and electric blankets, immersion heaters, electrical hotplates and coffee
machines. Devices to support your breathing are the exception here.

Escape routes and emergency exits
The balconies on the wards are used as escape routes in the case of fire. This is why it is not permitted to place private plant pots or other objects on the balcony outside your room. Escape routes and emergency exits must be kept clear of obstacles at all times.

Flowers and indoor plants
Cut flowers are welcome to brighten up your room and are cared for by the Hotel Service on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Orchids, cacti and plants potted in earth or hydroculture media are not permitted for reasons of hygiene.

Fire
If you discover fire or dense smoke, please alert the on-site fire brigade:
– Press the manual alarm by the signposted fire extinguisher cabinets in the corridors
– Call internal extension 118 from your room or use the call button for nurses

In the event of fire and major emergencies, please follow the instructions of the officers in charge and the nursing staff.

Quiet times
There is a quiet period over lunch from 12.30 – 1.30 pm. Quiet must be observed in the meeting hall after 10.30 pm and on the wards after 10 pm.

Religious freedom, begging and peddling
You are welcome to practice your religion freely. However, please note that recruiting for religious or political issues, begging and peddling are not allowed.

Smoking and narcotics

Smoking (this also applies for e-cigarettes, vapes, snus, etc.) is not permitted in the building or on the balconies. Bed-bound patients are also prohibited from smoking. There is a designated smoking area outside the main entrance. Instructions and orders given by doctors
and nursing staff are binding and must be complied with.

The supply or consumption of narcotics of any kind is not tolerated in any building or anywhere on the premises. Any violation will be reported.

Violations of the house rules
First-time infringement of the house rules will result in an oral or written warning. In the event of repeated infringement or particularly serious infringements, the patients concerned can be discharged. This means termination of rehabilitation with a report to the paying party.

In the event of infringements by visitors or other persons, these persons will be expelled from the SPC by means of a house ban.

Any identified criminal offences will be reported to the police.

Liability
If you trigger a fire alarm by failure to observe the house rules regarding smoking products, candles, and personal electrical devices, and cause damage to furniture and other equipment, you will be charged for the costs incurred.

Any equipment or aids which patients bring from home must be repaired and maintained by the patients themselves.

Money and valuables
We recommend that you only bring small amounts of cash with you. There is an ATM on the ground floor. You can keep your jewellery and other valuables in your lockable bedside cabinet. The Swiss Paraplegic Centre accepts no liability for loss. If your property is stolen despite taking all precautions, please inform the nursing staff immediately.

Safety officer
Our safety officer will be happy to help if you have questions regarding safety. The nursing staff will be able to put you in touch with him.

Multimedia terminal
There is a modern multimedia terminal available to you with TV, radio, games, magazines and internet. You may access the internet, more than 100 TV channels and radio stations, and about 400 digital magazines free of charge. You will also find useful information about
your stay.

You have the option of controlling the infrastructure in your room (light, blind, insect protection, etc.) using room control technology.

Publishing photos, videos or audio recordings
Some patients post about their stay in Nottwil, for example on their private social media accounts or on WhatsApp. This is generally allowed and we are always glad when you tag us in your posts or stories. However, please ensure that no employees, other patients or visitors are identifiable – unless these individuals have given you their explicit consent. Individuals in private photos displayed on walls in hospital rooms must also not be identifiable. If you have any questions, please contact your Ward Management team.

Telephone
At the time of your admission, you will be allocated a personal telephone number that will be yours for your whole stay. Internal calls are free of charge. External calls are charged at standard telephone rates (without surcharges). Telephone charges are invoiced once a month by Patient Administration. The invoice will be sent to your room.

Visits by media representatives
From time to time, patients are contacted directly by journalists (for example friends or acquaintances) for an interview on the Nottwil Campus. Such media visits must be reported to the media officers in the corporate communications team, as only media representatives
with accreditation may receive access to SPC premises. Media visits are also always accompanied. If you are contacted for an interview, please inform your Ward Management team. They will then get in touch with the Media department.

Your discharge date will be set in consultation with you and the team. Together with you, your specialist nurse will be responsible for your discharge procedure. Please vacate your room by 10 am on the day of discharge. If you require transport home, we will be happy to help.

Car
Please note that it is not permitted to leave cars in our outdoor parking spaces on a longterm basis. You can leave your car in our multi-storey car park during your stay with us (parking fees apply).

Nottwil is not far from the A2 motorway (connecting Basel to Lucerne). Take the Sursee exit and follow the signs to the Swiss Paraplegic Centre.

Swiss Paraplegic Centre Transport Service
Transport for patients in wheelchairs.

Contact: T +41 41 939 56 59 or fahrdienst.spz@paraplegie.ch

Taxi
Rollstuhl Tixi Sursee, T 0848 849 477, Monday to Friday, 8 am –12 pm
Silber Tixi Sursee, T 079 625 13 30

You must organise and pay for your journeys yourself following your discharge. We are happy to support you in this process. In the case of medical indications, transport can be organised with your doctor's consent.

Train or bus
The Swiss Paraplegic Centre is a ten-minute walk from Nottwil railway station, where there are trains every half hour to Lucerne and (via Sursee) to Basel, Bern, Geneva and Zurich. Nottwil station and the path to the Swiss Paraplegic Centre are wheelchair accessible. The Swiss
Paraplegic Centre and the Guido A. Zäch Institute also benefit from their own bus stop on the regional bus network.

Our aim is to offer patients treatment with a comprehensive approach. This means that we are not only concerned about your medical problem and its consequences, but also about your best possible reintegration into society, family and work.

In the following, you will find useful information about the provision of aids and points of contact for support in your day-to-day life.

Advice at home
ParaHelp specialises in providing advice for people with a spinal cord injury in their own homes. Together with the patients themselves, their relatives and experts, we develop individual solutions to the challenges of everyday life. We help to prevent complications caused by the paralysis, to optimise living conditions, and to maintain as much independence as possible.

Contact:
ParaHelp, Guido A. Zäch Strasse 1, 6207 Nottwil
parahelp.ch, info@parahelp.ch
T +41 41 939 60 60

Aids for all areas of life
At Orthotec, you will find a wide range of aids and services for people with a spinal cord injury and similar limitations. From wheelchairs to incontinence products and to daily living and therapy aids, you will find everything under one roof.

Contact:
Orthotec, Guido A. Zäch Strasse 1, 6207 Nottwil
orthotec.ch, info@orthotec.ch
T +41 41 939 56 06

Discussions with people in a similar situation
In the online community and the Facebook group for people with a spinal cord injury, their relatives and friends, you will find a listening ear, an opportunity for discussions, as well as tips and advice.

Contact: community.paraplegie.ch, facebook.com/groups/rollstuhlgruppe

Digital assistive technologies for more participation and independence
Active Communication provides customised solutions in the areas of communication aids, computer and workplace adaptations, and environmental controls.

Contact:
Active Communication, Sumpfstrasse 28, 6312 Steinhausen
activecommunication.ch, office@activecommunication.ch
T +41 41 747 03 03

Outpatient Care Unit
Lifelong care is important for people with a spinal cord injury in order to prevent or provide an early diagnosis of medical problems. The Outpatient Care Unit of the Swiss Paraplegic Centre provides rapid, comprehensive and competent advice.

Contact:
Outpatient Care Unit Swiss Paraplegic Centre
Guido A. Zäch Strasse 1, 6207 Nottwil
paraplegie.ch/ambulatorium, ambi.spz@paraplegie.ch
T +41 41 939 58 58

Pharmacy
At the time of your discharge, you can obtain medication, dressing material, compression stockings, blood pressure and blood glucose meters as well as sun care and other care products from us.

You can have medicines sent to your home address free of charge on request. We need a valid prescription for medicines for legal reasons. You can order all other products from us without a prescription. If you place the order before 2 pm, you will receive your products by first-class post (“A post”) the following day. Nothing is sent out on Fridays.

Contact:
SPC Pharmacy
apotheke.spz@paraplegie.ch
T +41 41 939 59 59

Support for Daily Living
The Swiss Paraplegics Association is the national umbrella organisation for people with a spinal cord injury and, together with its 27 wheelchair clubs, advocates their concerns across Switzerland. In addition to various Advice Services such as Legal, Building and Life Guidance, the Swiss Paraplegics Association offers a wide range of athletic and leisure programmes open to everyone, and assists athletes ranging from  youth sports to the Paralympics. It also has a travel agency to assist wheelchair users with booking trips anywhere in the world.

Contact:
Swiss Paraplegics Association, Kantonsstrasse 40, 6207 Nottwil
spv.ch, spv@spv.ch
T +41 41 939 54 00