The concept of hospice comes from hospitium , a Latin word that refers to a " shelter " or the "act of welcoming." The notion usually refers to a charitable institution that is dedicated to caring for orphaned children or children in situations of extreme poverty .
A hospice, in this framework, is a public entity that takes in helpless individuals and is responsible for their maintenance thanks to charity or by making them work according to their abilities and possibilities. Hospices of this type emerged in the 17th century .
The term, however, has different meanings. In ancient times, the building that received foreigners when they arrived in a new country was called a hospice. It can also be a hospital : a place where people with health problems are cared for and health services are provided.
In some regions, a home for the elderly or individuals with psychiatric disorders is called hospice. For example: "My grandfather has lived in a hospice for four years, when he became a widow" , "The suspect spent five years in a hospice" , "The judge determined that the murderer serve his sentence in a hospice since he considers it appropriate given his mental state .
The dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ) even mentions the hospice as the house of a religious community , the establishment that receives and houses pilgrims or lodging in general.
Hospice care , finally, is that which is provided to a terminally ill patient. It is a combination of spiritual, psychological and medical support so that the dying person can go through the last stage of their life in peace .
Hospice care is carried out by different groups of health professionals or volunteers, and consists of a series of diverse treatments that are achieved by merging several fields. To cite a few examples, medical support is necessary, but also psychological and, in some cases, spiritual support.
Precisely, the goal of this care is to ensure that terminally ill patients can feel comfortable and at peace again and do not come to believe that they are not worthy because they cannot take care of their personal hygiene or have lost their mobility. two of the many features of diseases that require this type of attention .
Those in charge of hospice care should try to establish a hierarchy with the symptoms to combat, so that they can address the simplest ones first and leave for last those that are not likely to be resolved. Pain, for example, is one of the first points to treat, since it can be the greatest source of discomfort for the patient.
As mentioned above, the spiritual plane is very important for many people, especially for those who practice a religion. Feeling that the body and soul are in balance is also a way to achieve inner peace, and this can have a very positive impact on well-being. In other words, hospice care must focus on the needs of each individual, and to do so, it must consider them in all their aspects.
Families of terminally ill patients also need support, especially psychological support, since they are generally not prepared to face a situation like this. One of the most common mistakes is to leave one's own life aside to dedicate oneself almost completely to caring for the family member; This leads to extreme wear and tear, which leaves the person without energy and, in the event of the death of their loved one, destroys them emotionally.