Through The Hospice Heritage: Celebrating Our Future, physicians, nurses, social workers, and clergy will find unique examples to give patients the attention, care, and understanding they need at that time in their life. Since 80 of people who die do so without the support of a hospice program, this important book offers approaches designed to expand access to hospice and provide a solid foundation of treatment for patients with cancer and non-cancer diagnoses. Written by experts in the field, The Hospice Heritage will help you care for those patients whose life span is uncertain, improving their quality of life in throughout their last days. This commemorative book offers an encompassing portrayal of the development of hospice from its origins to its present forms. The Hospice Heritage contains state-of-the-art presentations of hospice-related issues and examines current efforts in hospice and palliative care, including the latest concepts in symptom control, guidelines for patients with diseases other than cancer, and measuring the quality and impact of care. Informative and moving, The Hospice Heritage explores the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of end-of-life care. This important book discusses many topics relevant to hospice today, including: presenting the most common physical symptoms experienced by hospice patients and the comprehensive standards of care for these symptoms; deepening the spiritual aspect of dying as patients, families, and care providers seek understanding and resolution; examining end-of-life decision-making issues, and the barriers which continue to restrict patient and family involvement and choices and identifying the evolving relationship between hospice and palliative care and the consequences, benefits, and dilemmas of this partnership.