Ronald Reagan

“ Hospice care is a humanitarian way for terminally ill patients to approach the end of their lives in relative comfort and dignity. Increasing numbers of patients have chosen to enter hospice programs in recent years because of the competent and compassionate care they provide outside of the hospital environment. ”

“ The importance of hospices as an integral part of our Nation's health care system is increasingly recognized. The growth of hospices was encouraged in November 1983 when the Federal government added hospice care to the benefits available to people under Medicare. ”

“ Hospices care for both patients and their families by attending to their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. A team of physicians, nurses, social workers, pharmacists, counselors, and community volunteers work together to meet the needs of the terminally ill. ”