Hospice Care

When I was growing up we never heard about "hospice". Today I learned why I probably never heard of it in the 50 or 60’s. The hospice movement was pioneered by Dr. Cicely Saunders and started first in London in 1967.

Hospice definition: program of humane and supportive care for the terminally ill and their families; providing palliative care and attending to emotional and spiritual needs of the terminally ill patient. The term also applies to a professional facility that provides care to dying patients who can no longer be cared for at home. Hospice is an alternative to hospitalization that emphasizes home care for as long as possible; relief from pain; an attractive, non-institutional environment if the patient can no longer be cared for at home; and personal and family counseling. The hospice movement was pioneered by Dr. Cicely Saunders, founder of St. Christopher's Hospice (opened 1967), London, and furthered by Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross's work with the dying.

I heard on public radio today that Zelda Foster, MSW, passed away yesterday and is also credited with having much to do with introducing Hospice to the US. The first Hospice was not established until 1974, in New Haven, CT. The news said that Foster was instrumental in getting insurance to cover for hospice care. Insurance coverage did not happen until 1984 (that wasn’t that long ago!).

Zelda Foster, MSW, is the former director of a large social work Department in a Veterans Affairs Medical Center. She was a co-Founder and first president of the New York State Hospice Association. As a young worker in 1965, at the same V.A. Medical Center, she wrote an article considered seminal, dealing with the “conspiracy of silence” facing dying patients. Zelda Foster remained committed to improving the care of the dying and the role of health professionals in challenging and impacting the quality of patient care. She wrote many articles on a range of social work contributions and lectured widely on hospice and end-of-life care. (resource taken from – Columbia University Alumini Association Hall of Fame Inductee 2005 bio.) Zelda Foster has battled ovarian cancer, and she died in her home, with hospice care. Her daughter said it was appropriate that she died on “Independence Day”.

In the late 70’s , I helped with a group of us women from church, to assist St. Luke’s Hospice team to provide care at the home of a loved woman from our congregation. We took turns going in with meals for her and sitting with her. She was in the end stages of cancer. That is the first I ever heard about hospice.

In the early 90’s, one of my dear friends from University UMC was receiving hospice care at St. Luke’s Hospital.

In 2003 my brother was moved to a nursing home and given hospice care for his lung cancer. 2004 and 2005 both of my parents received hospice care, and at the present time, one of my dear friends is in hospice care at Lakeshore (Nursing) Home.

Seeing the good care they have all received and are receiving, I am truly thankful for our women who led the way for the hospice movement, and for what it provides to terminally ill patients and their families.