The Hospice Ideology and Success of Hospice Care

Abstract

Hospice is a concept of terminal care based on an ideology that specifies a particular way for patients and families to deal with death and dying. This article describes this ideology and attempts to assess its success for hospice patients. Findings show that hospice care is more successful for patients who are more aware of their terminal status, who are older, and who have a primary caregiver who experiences fewer difficulties with the caregiver role.