Definitions of Hospice
By Pat Kruger

Hospice is not a place where people go to die. It is a philosophy of care, seeing each person as a unique individual and meeting them where they are in their life as they approach death. Hospice is as much about living as it is about dying. The role of hospice is to create and support an atmosphere of comfort and safety as the patient and family explore their fears of the unknown, of death and loss. Helping the patient sort out and identify meaning and order to their life, hospice provides ongoing teaching of what the patient may experience as their body changes and systems begin to shut down.

Hospice providers are highly trained professionals seeing the person as a whole and addressing not only their physical needs through medical intervention, but also their spiritual and emotional needs. We are patient and family centered and see ourselves as a medium or sounding board for people as they explore their personal meaning of life. Through aggressive management of symptoms, the patient achieves a level of comfort that facilitates introspection allowing growth and illumination.

Hospice programs are comprised of a team of professionals to include physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains, certified nursing assistants and volunteers. We provide care to people of all ages in all settings, any place they call home. Some of our goals include dying in a safe environment with comfort and dignity surrounded by the people and the things that are loved - understanding that this may be different for each individual.

There are 17 Medicare certified hospice programs in Utah and over 2600 across the nation. Patients served under hospice can transfer to other programs inside or outside of the state they originally enroll in. For more information about how to qualify for hospice, see Care Options. A list of state providers, as well as hospice listings outside of the state, are available under Find a Hospice.

The Utah Hospice Organization has been in place since 1980 and is supported by a membership of most of the 17 Hospice programs as well as 13 affiliate members. The mission of our organization is to promote excellence in end-of-life care and to promote the principles of the hospice concept for persons who are terminally ill and their families

Pat Kruger is the President of the Utah Hospice Organization. You can contact the UHO at (801) 256-4814 or (800) 256-4814.