Hospice
The word "hospice" stems from the Latin word "hospitium", meaning guesthouse. It was originally used to describe a place of shelter for weary and sick travelers returning from religious pilgrimages. During the 1960's, Dr.Cicely Saunders, a British physician, began the modern hospice movement by establishing St.Christopher's Hospice near London. St.Christopher's organized a team approach to professional caregiving and was the first program to use modern pain management techniques to compassionately care for the dying. The first hospice in the United States was established in New Haven, Connecticut in 1974.
Hospice is not a place but a concept of care. Eighty percent of hospice care is provided in the patient's home, a family member's home or in nursing homes. Inpatient hospice facilities are sometimes available to assist with caregiving.
From the Hospice Foundation of America
To learn the Ten Myths of Hospice, visit the American Hospice Foundation.
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