The term hospice is rooted in the idea of offering 'hospitality" such as shelter and a place to rest, to sick and weary travelers. It became a term applied to specialized care for dying patients in 1967 by Dame Cicely Saunders at St. Christopher's Hospice in London.

The philosophy of hospice to accept death as the final stage of life. Hospice care today offers help to people during the last phases of an incurable disease so that they can live as comfortably as possible. Hospice care treats the patient, not the disease and focuses on quality of life rather than quantity. In addition to caring for the patient, hospice involves the family members, providing support and involvement in making decisions.

The services of hospice are provided through a team approach. The hospice team consists of professionals and volunteers. Core services provided include medical, nursing, counseling and social services. In addition, necessary medication and medical equipment are provided. The medical staff provides direct care to the patient and they teach the family to care for the patient between visits if care is provided in the patient's home. Home health services provide the bathing, toileting and household chores related to the patient. The role of the social worker is to provide the emotional support needed by the patient and the family. Clergy provide spiritual services. Hospice volunteers are available to provide companionship to the patient and give the family support, while others volunteer their time in the office or for fundraising.

The overwhelming majority of hospice patients receive care in their homes. Other patients may use a hospital-based hospice service. Some hospitals have a designated hospice unit while others have hospice caregivers visit and care for the patient on any of the nursing units within the hospital or long term care facility.

The biggest myth about hospice is that people believe hospice is for people who haven given up or that there's no hope. By believing these myths, people are depriving themselves of the care and support that improves the quality of life with hospice. Many family members that care for a loved one on hospice view their efforts as one final gift to their loved one.