Bethel - The Müllers are already doing much better

Heinz und Brigitte Müller sitzen auf ihrem Bett.

Smiling happily, Heinz Müller dabs his mouth with a napkin. He enjoyed his lunch at the Albert-Schweitzer-Haus social welfare and care centre in Cottbus today too. Seeing her husband in need of care so happy is a great joy and relief for Brigitte Müller. Just over six months ago, the elderly couple suddenly found themselves in a serious crisis after an accident.

Brigitte Müller suffered several broken bones in a fall. It wasn't just the pain that made the 85-year-old despair. It was also the prospect of what inevitably followed: The Müllers had to leave their home. "I can no longer care for my husband because I'm now in need of care myself," says Brigitte Müller. "I just cried for 14 days. When you're young, you can't imagine what it's like when everything falls away in old age."

Exterior view of the Albert Schweitzer House

However, they are both doing much better now. After the fall, they moved to the Albert-Schweitzer-Haus, which is located near their former home in the Schmellwitz neighbourhood. The Müllers feel they are in good hands at the retirement and care centre. The 88-year-old, who has Parkinson's disease, receives multi-professional care and his wife's healing process is going well. The couple are also happy with their new home, to which they have brought some furniture and furnishings. "We've got a nice, spacious room," says Brigitte Müller.

They come to the ground floor every day for lunch. Following extensive refurbishment, it has been presented in new splendour since September 2022. A large, outdated dining room has been transformed into many modern rooms: From the open, inviting foyer, a barrier-free route leads past new offices and social rooms into a bright multifunctional room. This is where the web club takes place, for example, where residents can practise using computers and the internet. A few steps further on are the new kitchen and the dining room, which is separated from another room by a movable wall.

"We were given a nice, spacious room."
Brigitte Müller
Exterior shot
The two lower floors of the Albert Schweitzer House, built in 1989, were extensively refurbished.

The costs for the modernisation of the ground floor and the first floor, which now houses additional new offices and social rooms, amount to 3.7 million euros. The modernisation was also made possible thanks to many donations from Bethel: Diakonie Niederlausitz, which operates the Albert-Schweitzer-Haus and has its administrative headquarters there, is part of the Hoffnungstaler Stiftung Lobetal and thus of the v. Bodelschwingh Foundation Bethel.

The Müllers went for a walk after lunch. Just a short one, because it's too cold to stay out in the fresh air for longer. They are already looking forward to sitting in the garden again in warmer temperatures and tasting the sweet fruit. Next summer can come.

Text: Philipp Kreutzer | Photos: Thomas Kläber

This story simply told

Brigitte and Heinz Müller from Cottbus have been married for 66 years. She is 85 and her husband 88 years old. Both are in need of care and can no longer live at home. Instead, they now live in the Albert Schweitzer House. This is a diaconal retirement and care centre. The Müllers are well looked after there.

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    Diakonie Niederlausitz
    Albert-Schweitzer-Haus
    Feldstraße 24
    03044 Cottbus

    To the website of the centre

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    The "Albert-Schweitzer-Haus" diaconal retirement and care centre is a modern facility in the Schmellwitz district of Cottbus. An interdisciplinary team of nursing staff, doctors, therapists and counsellors looks after the residents. The team enables senior citizens to live independently and provides them with the help they need.

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