In celebration of National Hospice and Palliative Care month, we would like to share a bit of history behind the current care we provide.  

The word “hospice” derives from the Latin word hospes which means both guest and host. The first instances of caring for the sick and dying were documented in Malta as women cared for those on their way to and from to the Holy Land. However, it was Dame Cicely Saunders who founded our modern-day hospice. She focused on improving medical practices to provide comfort and peace to those at end-of-life. She was trained as a “lady almoner” or social worker in 1947 and during this time cared for a 40-year-old dying man at Archway Hospital. The two became very close, and it was during their time together they talked about the idea of her founding a home for the dying to live out their final days in peace. He left her a substantial sum to fund this home, and after years of medical school and research on pain management, she was able to begin building St. Christopher’s Hospice in 1965.  

Dame Saunders spoke at Yale before opening her hospice in London. She shared photos of patients before and after receiving hospice care, and the visual relief was so palpable that it is believed this talk began the discussion regarding end-of-life care in the United States. 

Since then, our industry has seen many improvements. The first hospice was opened in the US in Connecticut in 1974. In 1983, President Reagan signs the Medicare Hospice Benefit into law covering 80-85% of patients’ benefits, and in 1993, President Clinton includes hospice as a nationally guaranteed benefit. 

Over the years, discussing end-of-life care has become more main stream. Gone are the days of physicians ignoring patients when treatments are no longer impactful as was the case in Dame Saunders’ time. Hospice is solidly recognized as a necessary service within the continuum of care, and none of this would be possible without the tireless efforts of our collaborative teams. 

Caris’ hospice teams are comprised of social workers, chaplains, volunteer coordinators, hospice aides, nurses, patient care managers, medical directors, administrators, and regional support. Thank you to every Caris partner for your role in helping us provide comfort, peace, and grace to our patients and their families!