Since the beginning of humanity, death has been a constant that every human being has faced and feared time and time again in war and in peace, young and old, man and woman. In all of that time the easing of passing has been a difficult job that fell on caretakers, physicians and more specifically hospice doctors, nurses, social workers and counselors. All of whom care for both the patients who must bear the knowledge that they are dying for as much as six months ahead of time and for their families and loved ones who are present throughout the whole process. Unfortunately, this branch of medicine, palliative medicine, is relatively new. Thus it is critical now more than ever that more funding and research are dedicated to its advancement and upkeep.
The need for hospice care throughout …show more content…
This argument suffers most from a closed-minded view of the needs and conditions of terminal patients. It assumes that patients will be satisfied receiving the same care until they die and not suffer emotionally from their ordeal and that their loved ones will not need any help in the grieving process. In reality, hospices are well equipped with staffs trained to care for the emotional and spiritual needs of the dying and their families on top of just the physical needs like a normal hospital would(Longe 572). This spiritual and emotional care is often extended to the family and friends of the patient as well to ensure that the passing on is accepted and borne with dignity. These services often include access to social workers and therapists who are trained to help in coping with accepting the death of a loved one. Hospitals are not equipped to replace the benefits provided by a hospice when it comes to dignity and acceptance for both the patient and the