Persistent tiredness and exhaustion, pain, scars or restrictions in organ or body function, reduced stress limits, reduced performance.

Confrontation with own mortality, stressful memories of treatment, rapid uncertainty and anxiety in the event of physical symptoms, reduced stress resistance.

Difficulties getting back to work, loss of employment, high treatment costs.

Role changes in the family, misunderstandings ("You look healthy again!"), withdrawal from friends, reorientation.

The experience of one's own vulnerability can trigger an intensive examination of life goals, values or questions of faith.

For example, the feeling of no longer belonging.

The feeling of "not being able to calm down", thin-skinned reactions.

for example, through fear of illness or the future or stressful memories.

For example, fear of a relapse or worsening of the illness, general anxiety, low mental resilience.

Dejection, listlessness, a feeling of meaninglessness, worthlessness, being at the mercy of others.

Nightmares, avoidance behavior, strong inner restlessness.

Questioning your own life concepts and values.

In the event of loss of income or financial restrictions due to a prolonged illness, the social counseling service at the hospital offers support. We work with you to clarify your individual situation and inform you about possible financial assistance, for example for therapies, aids or medication. If you are in debt, we can put you in touch with specialized debt counseling services to find a sustainable solution.

Fear of failure and uncertainty about your own ability to perform can make it difficult to return to work or actively look for a job. Hospital social work supports you in overcoming these challenges. We advise you on the clarification of a possible need for further training or retraining and support you in communicating with employment agencies and employers.

For professional reintegration, we use the "Hamburg model", among other things. This is a gradual reintegration program in which working hours and workload are gradually increased. This enables a gentle return to work that is adapted to your health situation in order to secure your return to work in the long term.

The social counseling service supports you with general questions about pension insurance (Suva, BVG, IV), daily sickness allowance insurance, protection against dismissal, supplementary benefits, health and long-term care insurance and helplessness compensation. We also check together whether other applications or benefits are possible for you and assist you with the relevant applications.

We offer counseling support for fears of a new illness, depression, social isolation, addictive behaviour and family stress and conflicts. We also support you with partnership and sexual problems and, if necessary, connect you with other specialists to ensure comprehensive support.

In the event of difficulties in everyday life, we offer support, for example with the registration of domestic help, transportation services, home assistance, home adaptations and other individual support services.

General support to promote equal opportunities so that all people can put the law into practice. We support you in asserting your rights in everyday life - no matter what challenges your illness brings with it. Our social law advice helps you to make use of all the options and benefits available to you so that you receive the best possible care and equal opportunities. Together, we ensure that no one is disadvantaged and that you receive the support you are entitled to.

• • Exercise therapy strengthens the body's immune system, reduces fatigue and pain. In the long term, it lowers the risk of cardiovascular diseases, for example, and has a regulating effect on body weight.
  • Exercise therapy has a positive influence on the psyche, has a mood-enhancing and antidepressant effect. When carried out in a group, it promotes social contacts and allows people to experience new things.
  • After chemotherapeutic treatment, disorders of sensation (sensitivity) and movement in the hands and feet (fine motor skills), also known as polyneuropathy, can occur. Grasping, feeling objects, fine movements with hands and fingers can be performed less well or walking on uneven surfaces becomes less secure. With sensorimotor training (balance training) in physiotherapy and with home exercises, you can train your sensitivity and fine motor skills.
  • You should discuss your planned activities with your doctor if you have lost a lot of weight, have cardiovascular disease, a stoma or permanent catheter, bone metastases or osteoporosis.
  • Exercise should not be carried out in the case of acute flu or other infections, sudden indisposition or nausea.
  • With a doctor's prescription for physiotherapy, it is possible to put together the training individually and start it with supervision.
  • List of therapists: Swiss Physiotherapy Association physioswiss.ch

• • If you experience shortness of breath at rest or during exercise, have an unexplained cough with or without sputum or need to inhale medication, specific respiratory physiotherapy is recommended on medical prescription. Trained respiratory physiotherapists will teach you correct breathing techniques, how to deal with shortness of breath or how to mobilize mucus from the lungs and how to inhale medication correctly and effectively.
  • List of therapists: Swiss Physiotherapy Association physioswiss.ch
  • List of therapists: Respiratory physiotherapy expertise www.cf-physio.ch

• • Lymphoedema (accumulation of water in the tissue that does not disappear overnight or over a few days) can occur after radiotherapy and/or removal of lymph nodes and surgery. Lymphoedema can restrict movement, be aesthetically noticeable and cause complications such as infections. They therefore require professional treatment by means of manual (non-cosmetic) lymphatic drainage. This includes manual manipulation and compression therapy.
  • Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) is performed by trained lymph therapists on a doctor's prescription.
  • List of therapists: Swiss Association for Manual Lymphatic Drainage www.sfml.ch
  • List of therapists: Swiss Physiotherapy Association physioswiss.ch

• • Urinary or fecal incontinence (uncontrolled leakage of urine or stool) can occur, particularly after gynaecological, urological and rectal procedures or treatments. This discomfort can be extremely unpleasant and restrict physical activity and social contacts. Chronic coughing can also lead to incontinence. If you experience these symptoms, talk to your doctor for a referral to a pelvic floor therapist on a doctor's prescription.
  • There you will learn techniques for strengthening the pelvic floor muscles as well as drinking and eating habits.
  • List of therapists: Swiss Society for Pelvic Floor Therapy www.pelvisuisse.ch
  • List of therapists: Swiss Physiotherapy Association physioswiss.ch

• • Frequent swallowing, food getting stuck in the throat, coughing or clearing the throat during or after eating/drinking, pain when swallowing, increased salivation, hoarse voice, unintentional weight loss or unexplained inflammation of the lungs can be signs of swallowing difficulties.
  • Hoarseness or a raspy voice, loss of voice or rapid fatigue when speaking, difficulty finding or pronouncing words, slurred pronunciation, halting or unusually slow speech can affect your everyday life if the symptoms persist. They may be signs of a speech, language or voice disorder.
  • Discuss these symptoms with your doctor. He or she can carry out appropriate investigations and refer you to a speech therapist on the basis of a doctor's prescription.
  • Swiss-German Association of Speech Therapists and Speech Therapists www.logopaedie.ch
  • Association romande des logopédistes www.arld.ch

• • Just as cancer treatment has a negative impact on physical performance, it can also reduce mental performance. Signs of this include rapid mental fatigue, memory and concentration problems, reduced attention/perception or limited ability to act in everyday life.
  • These complaints can lead to dissatisfaction, frustration, reduced participation in social life and withdrawal.
  • In occupational therapy, your symptoms are analyzed in detail using tests and the deficits are retrained using targeted exercises. This can be done with paper and pencil, digital media and home exercise programs.

• • • After chemotherapeutic treatment, disorders of sensation (sensitivity) and movement (fine motor skills) in the hands and feet, also known as polyneuropathy, may occur. Grasping, feeling objects, fine work/movements with hands/fingershands/fingers can be performed less well or walking on uneven surfaces becomes less secure.
    • Inoccupational therapy and with exercises that you can at home at home, sensitivity and fine motor skills are trained.

• • After serious brain illnesses or a long period of treatment in hospital, everyday activities such as dressing, washing, cooking or housework may be impossible or only possible to a limited extent. Occupational therapy can help you relearn these activities so that you can manage your everyday life independently again. Occupational therapists also know suitable aids to support you.
  • Discuss these complaints with your doctor, who can carry out the appropriate investigations and refer you to an occupational therapist on the basis of a doctor's prescription.
  • Swiss Occupational Therapy Association www.ergotherapie.ch