Growing number of Americans choosing hospice care.
The Los Angeles Times (1/22, Aschwanden) reported, "Over the last 25 years, the number of Americans turning to hospice for end-of-life care has climbed dramatically -- from 25,000 in 1982 to 1.45 million in 2008, as more and more people choose to spend their final days in the comfort of home, or a patient facility with a home-like environment rather than in a hospital pursuing aggressive treatments." In addition, over the past 10 years, "Medicare reimbursements for hospice have also risen, allowing more hospices to open without relying on fundraising for survival, says Christy Whitney, chief executive of Hospice and Palliative Care of Western Colorado in Grand Junction." Still, experts say that the "decision to stop curative treatment and enter hospice is never easy, and it comes at a stressful time."
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