History of Hospice Care and Term Paper

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Kubler-Ross became an advocate of the hospice concept, and testified before Congress in 1972, where she advocated patient care at home for those with terminal illnesses. This helped lend support to the growing call for hospice care in America. After her testimony, hospice legislation was introduced in Congress in 1974, but it did not pass. It did however, bring the idea to light, and the movement began to spread across the country.

The first American hospice was Hospice of Connecticut, which opened in 1973. It began as strictly a home-care program that provided visiting nurses to help care for terminally ill patients in their own homes. Many early home-care hospice units, like the Hospice of Connecticut, turned into full-fledged freestanding facilities that could take care of dozens of patients in their facilities at once, but they still offered home-care alternatives for patients, as well. As the hospice concept has developed, so has the way hospice services are offered. Author Munley notes,

Currently, although individual programs vary, there are at least five identifiable types of hospice program in the United States: (1) the free-standing hospice that provides inpatient service along with home care; (2) the home? health agency hospice; (3) hospice beds or a hospice or palliative-care unit within a hospital; (4) the roving hospice team working with dying patients wherever they are located; and (5) the hospice program with hospital and medical school affiliation (Munley 32)

As the hospice notion began to gain support in America, several avenues of support opened up, in both the government and private sectors. In 1982, Congress approved a hospice benefit as part of Medicare benefits, and in 1990, the World Health Organization drafted a statement supporting and defining hospice care. In 1991, the Veterans Administration began offering hospice care to the nation's veterans. The largest organization supporting hospices in the United States is the "National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, founded in 1978 as the National Hospice Organization, changed its name in February 2000" (Editors).

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The group supports hospice care around the country, and one of its goals is to educate the public on how to use and support the hospice movement.

It is important to note that the hospice philosophy supports the terminally ill patient, but hospice staff also work to support the family and friends of the terminally ill patient. They realize the grief and loss that results from losing a loved one, and so, they offer family members information on caregiving, dealing with grief, emotional support, and even help with dealing with affairs after the death of a loved one ("What Is Hospice Care?"). Thus, hospice care serves the entire family and support group of a dying patient, which makes the patient's last days easier, but also allows them to realize that their family will receive support and guidance even after they are gone.

Hospices have evolved in the 30 years they have been in existence in this country, as well. A writer states, "Many hospices have evolved beyond direct patient care delivery. Some have become social change agents, promoting more than innovative medical approaches. They have become social institutions in which discourse about community values and life planning occurs" ("What Is Hospice Care?"). Thus, they have become viable members of the community that offer hope for death with dignity and the support of family beyond death.

In conclusion, although the history of the American hospice is relatively short, the hospice has become a viable part of just about every community in America. Hospices offer the safety of a health care environment that is also nurturing and supportive during the last days of life, and they make it easier for family members to say goodbye to their loved ones. In the future, it seems certain hospices will continue to flourish in this country......

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