Hospice and health policy

This article gives a review of the hospice concept of care. The importance of caring for the patient and family as one unit for the purpose of addressing specific needs of each, and the specific needs of the dying patient and of his/her family are discussed.

The alleviation of symptoms and control of pain are of primary importance in terminal cases. Throughout the dying process the patient should be treated as a unique individual and his fear of isolation and abandonment must be overcome by the availability of personal attention. Although the patient receives a great deal of attention it is of vital importance to him/her that he/she is just as involved in giving as receiving.

The family is both an agency and a recipient of care. It is the task of hospice care to allow the family to go on living. Feelings of anticipatory grief — of which a definition is given — have to be reduced; the most difficult time for the family is however when the patient is very close to death. It is stressed that real exchange of feelings between family and the dying person is of utmost importance for both, and should be encouraged by hospice care.

The hospice staff should maintain contact with the family and close friends after the death of their loved one, to allow them ventilation of their feelings.