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History of Hospice
The term "hospice" was used in medieval Europe for a place where travelers could find shelter. Dame Cecily Saunders founded the modern hospice movement in London, England, in the 1960s with the establishment of St. Christopher’s Hospice, a place that sought to meet the pain, comfort and closure needs of the dying at a time when the medical establishment virtually ignored death.
The first hospice in the United States was established in 1971 in New Haven, Conn., as a way to provide similar support for dying individuals in their own homes.
The hospice movement reached a major milestone in 1983 when Congress made hospice a benefit of the Medicare program. Today, more than 4,000 hospice programs serve over one third of Americans in their last weeks and months of life each year.
The History of Hospice in Nebraska
In recognition of the state hospice association's 25th anniversary, "The History of Hospice in Nebraska"
was released at the 2008 "Living a Good Life...at the End of Life"
Conference. The 33-page booklet was researched, written and designed
by students from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of
Journalism and Mass Communications, Ingrid Kutsch and Amber Wolff.
Order copies of "The History of Hospice in Nebraska" for $5 each
(includes sales tax) by emailing Tracy Rathe, NHPCA Communications
Coordinator, at Tracy@nehospice.org.
Support for this project was provided by the Nebraska Office of Rural
Health, Alegent Health Hospice, Hospice of Tabitha, and Hospice and
Home Healthcare of Saunders County.
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