Hospice (Essay Sample)

Hospice
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Hospice
Hospice is coined from the Latin word "hospis," which means host and guest. The term is the root of other words such as hospitality, hospital, and hospice. Prior publications fail to report on the origin of hospice, but recent literatures suggest that "safe houses" in biblical times, which housed travelers, is evidence of the modern notion of the same. The concept of hospice as known today came into the limelight after Fabiola, a member of the Roman ruling class, provided care and relief to the unwell and dying. In this context, the main functions of the hospice are to provide care to the sick, poor, and the aging (Simms, 2014).
VITAS Healthcare has been a pioneer in the provision of hospice services since the year 1978. Just like other hospice facilities, VITAS focuses on adult and pediatric patients, who may be suffering from cancer, stroke, AIDS, kidney, lung and liver diseases among other life-limiting diseases (VITAS Healthcare, n.d). Therefore, to navigate the stages successfully, I recognize the important role played by VITAS hospice considering the care programs offered in respect to the terminally ill. On the other hand, aging is an inevitable process, for my family, others, and me and eventually, will reach a climax, which is the dying stage (HPNA, 2002). Aging brings about health care complications, and family members cannot offer adequate care for their aging members.
Therefore, hospice comes in and offers care to the aging, whom I perceive are the most and well suited beneficiaries of hospice (HPNA, 2002). Lack of knowledge from both the providers and the patients is a barrier to effective...