Introduction

“Hospice” is a philosophy of care, the goal of which is to assist patients who are nearing the end of life to be pain free, comfortable, and to live with dignity. Hospice programs exist in many countries, however, the spectrum of services that they offer varies widely. When the word “hospice” is used, it often refers to a program, or even an institution, that espouses the “hospice” philosophy. Hence, in some countries the word “hospice” is used to refer to programs that focus predominantly on care in the home, and, in others, it refers to facilities that provide inpatient care at the very end of life. In many countries “palliative care” has emerged as a philosophy and a programmatic approach to care for those living with advanced, life-threatening illness. Palliative care programs have similar aims to hospice programs but extend the reach of the “hospice” philosophy from a sole focus on the end and very end of life to patients who are living with advanced, life-threatening illness. Many such patients may still be seeking life-sustaining or even curative therapies. Finally, in many countries physicians, nurses, and family caregivers, who face health systems without “systems” or “programs” specifically designed to care for those at the end of life, attempt to put together care systems that address the “hospice” or “palliative care” related needs of patients who are nearing the end of life.

Simply put, “hospice care” is a component of “palliative care” which is itself a component of optimal care.