Hospice
Hospice is both a concept and a health care service designed for chronically or terminally ill patients who are entering the last six months of life.
The first hospice was founded in London, England in 1967, but the hospice idea did not arrive in the United States until 1973. The word "hospice" comes from medieval times and signified a place where travelers, pilgrims and the wounded or dying could find rest and comfort.
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Today, hospice focuses on reducing the severity of patient symptoms, rather than providing a cure. Its goal is to relieve suffering and improve the quality of the patient's remaining days. Services include nursing care, assistance with daily living, rehabilitation therapy, nutritional support and psychological and spiritual counseling for the patient and their families. Hospices also provide state of the art pain management and medical devices to ensure the patient's comfort. Counseling and bereavement services are offered to the family after the patient has died.
Patients are referred to hospice by their physician. Generally, they are not candidates until they are deemed to have a six month prognosis. Hospice care can take place in the patient's home, the home of a family member or in a long term care or assisted living facility. Services are provided by a team of health professionals, including nurses, social workers, pastoral counselors, dieticians and volunteers, and center on managing pain symptoms, creating a comfortable environment and allowing patients to be close to their family, friends and loved ones during the dying process. Physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs are all equally important, as hospice targets the whole person and not just the disease of the patient. Education and information concerning the patient's ongoing condition, the dying process itself and help in resolving relationships and unfinished business are all services that a hospice provides.