A Hospice Perspective (IN: The Case Against Assisted Suicide, ed. by K Foley & H Hendin)

The author examines the nature & state of hospice care & its efficacy in the treatment of terminally ill patients. The history of the ‘hospice movement’ over the last century is reviewed. The potential for hospice care to relieve most of the suffering associated with end-of-life care is emphasized, as opposed to turning to assisted suicide or euthanasia as a treatment for pain. Aims for the future of hospice care are discussed.