Palliative care and the concept of hospice

Abstract

A contrast is established between death in past times and the way in which it presently occurs; emphasis is done on the loss of the humane, social, moral and communitary sense that dying formerly had. The concept of hospice and the way in which it is being utilized for humanized assistance of terminal patients and their families are described; in light of this concept the experience of the Palliative Care Clinic in Medellín, Colombia, is summarized: it applies the hospice concept for ambulatory and domiciliary attention of terminal patients and their families.