Hospice. This modern term has ancient roots in hospitium, a Latin word that means “guesthouse.” It calls to mind a place of shelter for weary travelers seeking rest during a long journey or pilgrimage.
Dame Cicely Saunders (1918-2005) was an English nurse, social worker, physician, and author. She started the movement we now know as hospice. What began in Britain during the 1960s spread to America and across the globe.
November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month in the United States. Today, we’ll talk about hospice care – the movement, the concept, and the impact on families around the world.
Let’s begin.
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Hospice: The Movement
The hospice movement began in 1967 with St. Christopher’s Hospice in London. It established a team-oriented approach to caregiving for patients with a terminal illness.
But it was not about providing curative care. Rather, it addressed the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the terminal patient. It introduced modern pain management techniques for compassionate end-of-life care.
The hospice movement met with some initial resistance. But over time, it spread throughout England and the United States. The first American hospice agency began in 1974 in New Haven, Connecticut.
The late 1980s saw a handful hospice and palliative care programs. By 2019, there were 4,840 Medicare-certified hospice agencies in the United States. I am familiar with two of them.
The first is Hospice Brazos Valley. Their team of professionals cared for my father during his last weeks of life. The second is Cornerstone Hospice, who cared for my mother-in-law during her final days.
In 2020, 1.61 million Americans received hospice care. What began as a small, volunteer-led movement grew to a significant part of our health care system. Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurance plans cover hospice and palliative care services.
Hospice: The Concept
Some health care facilities provide palliative care. But it’s important to note that hospice is not a place – it’s a concept of care. According to the Hospice Foundation of America, 80 percent of hospice care occurs at home. The patient’s home, a family member’s home, or a nursing home.
Hospice services include medical care, pain management, and emotional and spiritual support. Hospice tailors the care to the patient’s needs and wishes. The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization called it “the model for quality, compassionate care.”
Hospice holds the belief that each person has the right to die pain-free with dignity and grace. It centers on caring, not curing. Hospice provides care, comfort, and support to patients and their families.
“You matter because you are you, and you matter to the end of your life,” said Saunders. “We will do all we can not only to help you die peacefully, but also to live until you die.”
Hospice: The Impact
Hospice care begins when a terminal illness no longer responds to cure-oriented treatment. It’s meant for a time when treatment can no longer help, and the patient is likely to live less than six months.
Hospice provides around-the-clock care for dying patients. It addresses all symptoms of a disease or injury but focuses on pain management.
It also deals with the impact of illness – emotional, spiritual, and social – on patients and their families. After death, hospice provides family counseling services and bereavement support.
Hospice neither hastens nor postpones death. Rather, it affirms life. The goal of hospice is to improve the quality of a patient’s last days by treating the person instead of the illness.
Dame Saunders said it best. “We should learn not only how to free patients from pain and distress, how to understand them and never let them down – but also how to be silent, how to listen, and how to just be there.”
Wrapping It Up
Hospice care is not about someone waiting to die. It’s about making the most of the life someone has left. It’s a true gift to patients and their loved ones.
In fact, hospice is many gifts wrapped in one package. The gift of comfort, the gift of peace, the gift of support. The gift of quality time spent with loved ones. What gets shared in those last moments will live on in those who continue to cherish the memories. ◻️
đź“‹ RECOMMENDED – Final Gifts, by Maggie Callanan, Patricia Kelley. This moving and compassionate book shows how we can help a dying person live fully to the very end.
Related Posts
- 7 Practical Tips for When You Feel Lonely at Home
- 17 Gifts for Hospice Workers to Show How Much You Care
- All Saints Day: A Day to Honor the Faithful Servants of God
Now It’s Your Turn
Thank you for reading my post. Now it’s YOUR turn to chime in. What is your experience with hospice – as a family member, caregiver, or volunteer? What are some other gifts hospice care provides?
Let’s fill the comments with friendly conversation. Scroll down to leave a reply, ask a question, or say just hello. And if you liked this post, please give it a share.
Blessings, Annette
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Photo Sources
Reference Sources
- Hospice Foundation of America
- National Association for Home Care & Hospice
- National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
- Statista (Database)
- TIME Magazine
- Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia
