Day hospice opens in central Riga for terminally ill and elderly people
A day hospice for elderly and terminally ill people opened in late April at the intersection of Brivibas and Merkela streets in central Riga. Its directors say people limited by illness also have the right to be part of city life.
In the very heart of Riga, at the intersection of Brivibas and Merkela streets, a new day hospice opened its doors in late April. The facility serves elderly and terminally ill people.
The location — in one of the busiest and most vibrant parts of the city — has prompted questions from many about why such a facility was placed there rather than in a quieter area.
A right to urban life
The hospice's directors explain their choice on principle: people who, because of illness, can no longer move about freely remain, like everyone else, part of society and of daily city life. For this reason, they say, it matters that such facilities are located not in secluded places but where city life is active — close to people, shops, transport and events.
This approach reflects a broader shift in how society treats seriously ill and elderly people — rather than isolating them from everyday surroundings, it aims to let them keep their connection to the city they have lived in.
