Hospice - Place of Hope

The scientific and technical achievements applied also in medicine since the beginning of the 20th century prolonged the medium life expectancy. Because of this, the scientists, physicians and all of society face new questions and problems, e. g. how to care for the terminally ill patients who completely rely on the help of others. The natural family environment that cared for the dying people in the past does not exist any more. The care for the dying was institutionalized in hospitals and asylums, and the dying thus became impersonalized. That originated the idea of the necessity of revitalization of hospices. There treatment of the dying is multidisciplinary and holistic. The terminally ill patients find all the comfort and support they need in the hospice, in order to live as well as possible until their last moments. A team of experts and volunteers helps her/him to find the meaning of life and to face the death as a part of life.

Keywords: Hospice; Ethics; Terminally ill patients