The article I have chosen for this assignment is the “Development of Hospice and Palliative Care in the United Stated”. This article discusses how Hospice/Palliative Care made its way to the United States from the United Kingdom. It brings fourth several different topics including the true definition of Palliative/Hospice Care and how that has evolved over a course of approximately 30 years. The article discusses how Palliative/Hospice Care has changed the medical field in the last 20 years, and lastly the importance of a Palliative/Hospice Care team when treating patients and families in their last days. The article discussed that originally the Palliative/Hospice movement was viewed as an anti-physician movement due to physicians and other medical professionals believing that by not caring for the patient this would be ending their lives. However, after a course of several years it has been a blessing to many families who have had to say goodbye to a loved one. The article stated that when Palliative/Hospice Care first reached the United States, families received care in the home where as in the United Kingdom the Palliative services were received in facilities or skilled nursing facilities outside the home. It was interesting to know that Palliative/Hospice program at first was made up of dedicated volunteers who out of the kindness of their hearts wanted to help the terminally ill pass away as naturally and as comfortable as possible. According to the article, "In the 1990’s and through 2005 was enormous and in 2005 more than 1.2 million people received hospice care in the United States”. (Connor 2008)

According to the article Hospice/Palliative Care has expanded in the community and has now been incorporate in the health care system all over the United States. From personal experience a close friend of mine had a grandparent who was placed in a Hospice home and was there for approximately five days. At this location her grandparent received medications that were strictly given to keep her grandparent comfortable. The family was able to visit around the clock and the 24 hour care by the registered nurses was like nothing I had ever witnessed. I at first hand had experienced this service and was very happy and pleased with the level of care and respect that was given to the dying patient and their families. The material in this article relates to the class because it discusses end of life and the transition of what this may look like to an individual and their families. The article also embraces and educates its readers about the great services that exists that help terminally ill person’s transition naturally and peacefully into their last stage of life. I believe that this topic really correlates to this course because it helps not only the individual but the extended family accept the reality which is also part of the aging process. When people think of aging process, they think of youth, beauty and