Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

To the Editor:

Having visited a number of friends at our local hospice house in Manhattan, I have come away with a great appreciation for the mission of hospices all across our state. The concept that hospice focuses on quality of life and one's dignity toward the end of life is so evident when you see such caring people provide such an amazing service to patients. It truly warms my heart to see those with limited time remaining feel and exhibit such comfort and ease under the passion of hospice and its people.

Being in a state where half (48 percent) of our elderly population live in rural areas and 30 percent of them live alone, we can see the great need we have for hospice care in nursing homes and inpatient facilities, as well as in the patient's home.

I so very much appreciate hospices like Hospice Care of Kansas and the 70-plus hospices throughout the state. The nurses, social workers, chaplains, hospice aides, medical directors and volunteers provide this absolutely wonderful service, the service of helping others of all ages live life to the fullest in the time that remains.

As we observe National Hospice Month this November, I stand forever grateful for those who stand ready to provide this service. A model of quality and compassionate care at the end of life, hospice promotes the belief that all of us have the right to pass pain free, with dignity and the comfort of knowing that our families will receive needed support.

Coach Bill Snyder

Kansas State University