The course of a terminal illness is, for nearly all people, a profound spiritual journey. When curative treatment becomes no longer tenable, persons confronted with existential questions about the meaning and purpose of their lives, and what will happen to them when they die.

For many patients, their deepest suffering is not only physical, but arises from spiritual pain surrounding issues of forgiveness and reconciliation. Particularly for those whose early experiences of a spiritual life are associated with fear, judgment and retribution, spiritual healing is an important means of reaching resolution.

Our target population in these terms are those who have developed full-blown Aids and in many cases do not have a concrete family structure or orphans who have no close relative to help them in this journey. As you are aware there is a great stigma amongst most communities who become aware that a member of their community is Aids ill. This applies across the racial and social structures. Many of our patients come to us afraid, in pain and have no one to confide their fears to.

The end of life cannot be predicated for any of us. We do not know when it will happen, who will be with us, how it will occur, or what we will feel. Those involved in the process of dying have a variety of physical, spiritual, emotional and social needs.

Hospice provides personalized services at 75 center’s to approximately 20,000 current patients countrywide.

Palliative care emphasizes living, personal choice, helping people to make the most of each day by relieving of symptoms (especially pain) and enabling people to die in peace, with dignity, and in keeping with their values. Hospice is a clinically directed, interdisciplinary team consisting of professional and volunteers to provide physical, social, spiritual and emotional care. Also included is a variety of bereavement and counseling services.

Palliative Care in essence, affirms life and regards dying as a normal process;
Neither hastens or postpones death, integrates the psychological and spiritual aspects of patient care, provides relief from pain and other distressing symptoms. Offers a support system to help patients live as actively as possible until death ; and offers a support system to help the family cope during the patients illness and their own bereavement.