The
term "hospice" (from the same linguistic root as
"hospital" and hospitality") stems back to medieval
times when it was used to describe a place of shelter and rest for
weary or sick travelers on long journeys. Today, the term
"hospice" refers to a steadily growing concept for humane
and compassionate care which can be implemented in a variety of
settings - in patient's home, in hospitals, or in freestanding
inpatient facilities.
The
Hospice Philosophy
Hospice
is a special kind of care designed to provide support for people in
the final phase of a terminal illness. Hospice care seeks to enable
patients to carry on an alert, pain-free life and to manage other
symptoms so that their last days may be spent with dignity and
quality at home or in a home like setting.
How
Hospice Works
Hospice
services are available to persons who can no longer benefit from
curative treatment, the typical hospice patient has a life expectancy
of six months or less. Most receive care at home. Services are
provided by a team of trained professionals-physicians, nurses,
counselors, therapists, aides and volunteers who provide medical care
and support services not only to the patient but also to the entire
family. The primary physician usually refers the patient to hospice.
Family members, friends, clergy or other health professionals, can
also make referrals.
How
Hospice differs from other types of health care
Hospice
offers palliative (comfort-oriented) treatment, rather than curative
treatment. Under the direction of a physician, hospice uses
sophisticated methods of pain and symptom control that enable the
patient to live as fully and as comfortably as possible.
Hospice
treats the person, not the disease. The interdisciplinary hospice
team is made up of professionals who address the medical, emotional,
psychological and spiritual needs of the patient and family.
Hospice
emphasizes quality, rather than length of life. Hospice neither
hastens nor postpones death; it affirms life and regards dying as a
normal process. The hospice movement stresses human values that go
beyond the physical needs of the patient.
Hospice
considers the entire family, not just the patient, and the "unit
of care". Patients and families are included in the
decision-making process and bereavement counseling is provided to the
family after the death of their loved one.
