Death has always been and inevitable part of life’s journey. However, the way we respond to and care for people in the final stages of life has not always been clearly defined. In fact, until the 1960s, no definitive treatment plan or standard of care even existed.

According to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, the first hospice center was created by Dame Cicely Mary Saunders in 1967 in the United Kingdom (https://www.nhpco.org/hospice-care-overview/history-of-hospice/). From there, small steps began to be taken in the United States in order to begin to create a course of treatment for patients in the end stages of life.Testimony before the U.S. Senate Special Committee in 1972 from Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, the author of On Death and Dying, helped to spur discussions about the notion of dying with dignity. Two years after this testimony, the first hospice in the United States, Connecticut Hospice in Branford, Connecticut, was founded.

In 1978 the National Hospice Organization was established to advocate hospice care. In 1982, Congress took steps to include hospice care as a Medicare benefit. Shortly thereafter, private insurers began to include hospice as a part of their benefit offerings. And in 1985, thanks to legislation passed at the federal level, hospice benefits were made a permanent part of Medicare.

Since these major steps, hospice care has continued to see changes and enhancements that have improved the treatment for patients and their families. And, in 1993, President Clinton’s health care reform proposal included hospice as a nationally guaranteed benefit. This helped continue to spur the growth of treatment as more and more patients were able to afford the care.

Hospice is focused on helping people die with dignity while providing much needed support to their loved ones as well. Thanks to the actions of a few forward thinking, compassionate individuals, people around the world now have access to the type of care that seeks to make them and their families feel valued. Families in and around the Chattanooga area looking for more information about local hospice care can speak with their doctor or visit https://www.hospiceofchattanooga.org/.