The State Of Hospice Care

1A

NPR

News

4.3 • 4.5K Ratings

🗓️ 28 February 2023

⏱️ 32 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Hospice care in the United States began as a social movement in the 1960s and '70s.

What was once provided mainly by nonprofits, is now a $22.4 billion industry. Now, more than 70 percent of hospice clinics are for-profit businesses.

And the rate of Americans choosing hospice is only going up. More than half of Americans will spend their final days in hospice.

We check in on the hospice care industry — what it is, how it works, and what you need to know to prepare end-of-life services.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	I lost two loved ones this year who were both under hospice care and I never could have
0:14.3	gotten through that experience without hospice.
0:18.0	It's helped.
0:19.0	They're just wonderful people.
0:21.0	They provide all the services that I needed.
0:23.8	Earlier this month, former president Jimmy Carter announced he's, quote, decided to spend
0:27.7	his remaining time at home with his family, receiving hospice care instead of additional
0:31.8	medical intervention.
0:33.8	Hospice care in the United States began as a social movement in the 1960s and 70s.
0:38.9	A service that was once provided mainly by nonprofits is now a $22 billion industry.
0:45.1	More than 70 percent of hospice clinics are for profit and the rate of Americans choosing
0:49.3	hospice is going up.
0:51.3	A 2019 report in the New England Journal of Medicine found that half of Americans dying
0:55.2	of natural causes spend their final days in hospice and for many families it's been
1:00.2	transformative.
1:01.9	So today we'll check in on hospice care in this country, what it is, how it works and
1:06.0	how to prepare for it.
1:07.7	I'm David Gurra, InfraGen White.
1:09.5	You're listening to the 1A podcast where we get to the heart of the story.
1:12.5	We'll be back with more from you and our guests after this short break.
1:21.6	Let's start the conversation with Carol Garrett, who lives in Arkansas.
1:24.8	Her husband Tom was in hospice care for two weeks before he passed away and Carol now
	...

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