The following excerpt on the history of the hospice
movement is taken from
The Final Journey--Complete
Hospice Care for Departing Vaisnavas (Torchlight Publishing).
In medieval times, weary travelers on their way to or from the holy
land on religious pilgrimage, found rest, food, and comfort at monasteries
along the way. Because the journey was often long and harsh, many
travelers became ill and spent their final days at these shelters that
were eventually known as hospices. The word "hospice" is derived from the
Latin work, "hospitium," meaning a guesthouse. At these safe havens,
under the care of benevolent strangers, many of them monks and nuns, these
weak and dying pilgrims found refuge. Much later in 1879, the Irish
Sisters of Charity opened hospices in Dublin and then in London in 1905.
They believed that death was one stage of a longer journey.
Over time, this concept was all but lost until a reawakening occurred
in the 1960's when Dr. Cicely Saunders, a British physician, founded the
modern hospice movement. At St. Christopher's Hospice near London,
Dr. Saunders developed a model for hospice care. She is credited
with starting the first program to use modern pain management for
compassionate care of the dying. She also taught that the dying
patient and family should be treated holistically, caring also for their
emotional, mental, and spiritual needs. Dr. Saunder's contributions
to the modern hospice movement are unparallel.
In the United states, the National Hospice Organization was formed in
1979. In 1983, Congress passed the Medicare Hospice Benefit.
It was not until 1988 that the International Hospice Institute helped form
the Academy of Hospice Physicians.
At present, there are over 3,000 hospice programs in the United States
alone. Some provide an inpatient unit, usually in a wing of a
hospital or in a long-term care facility, which offers symptom management
in acute situations, short-term respite for the caregivers when needed,
and 24-hour nursing care when homecare is not possible.
But, hospice is not a place. Most hospice care occurs in the
home. It is an ideal achieved through a team approach for the care
and comfort of the terminally ill. Generally, this team consists of
a physician who is knowledgeable in pain and other symptom management, a
hospice nurse trained in holistic care, a nurse's aide who assists with
bathing, skin care and other comfort measures, a pastor or other spiritual
counselor, a social worker, bereavement counselor, and volunteers who
visit the patient in the home. The caregiver, who is usually a
family member or close friend, is an integral part of the team. The
professional members of the team educate, encourage, and support the
patient, family members, and caregivers. Each member of the team
should compliment the other. Together, they assist in improving the
final days of the patient and provide emotional and spiritual support for
his or her loved ones.
Vaisnavas C.A.R.E. Inc. (V-C.A.R.E.)
Vaisnavas C.A.R.E. integrates
the knowledge of
caring for the terminally-ill with the spiritual wisdom given to us by His
Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Vaisnavas C.A.R.E.
Inc. (aka V-C.A.R.E.) is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to
providing Counseling,
Assistance, Resources, and Education for the terminally-ill and their
loved ones. Educational seminars for volunteer caregivers as well as
healthcare professionals are provided for those interested in becoming part of this mission.
An online course is included in this
website that can give one a basic understanding of caring for the
terminally-ill and their family. See our
get to know us
page for further information.
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