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Palliative Care for Homeless People in Austria

05/10/2026

Zeitschrift für Palliativmedizin: New article published on the current provision of hospice and palliative care for people experiencing homelessness

Empirical data on palliative care for homeless people in Austria were collected and analyzed by students in a course within the "Public and Nonprofit Management" specialization, under the supervision of Michaela Neumayr. After completing the course, the students — Alexander Fischer, Emily Lippe, Claudia Pham, Tania Precup, and Rebekka Tschurtschenthaler — remained motivated to go the extra mile. Together with project partner Rainer Simader from Hospiz Österreich and Michaela Neumayr from WU, they summarized the key results from qualitative data gathered in hospice facilities and through interviews with homeless shelters in a concise journal article.

They revealed that hospice and palliative care for this group in Austria currently remains sporadic and unsystematic: despite existing structures, this population is not being reached comprehensively. The challenges lie not so much in a lack of services as in limited accessibility, poor coordination, and insufficient structural and financial support.

Fischer, A., Lippe, E., Neumayr, M., Pham, C., Precup, T., Simader, R., & Tschurtschenthaler, R. (2026). Menschen ohne Obdach. Aktuelle Palliativversorgung und Bedarfe in Österreich. Zeitschrift für Palliativmedizin, 27(05), 241-244. DOI: 10.1055/a-2881-6156

Link: https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/abstract/10.1055/a-2881-6156

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