Hospice & Palliative Care Federation of Massachusetts

CONTACT:

1420 Providence Hwy., Suite 277
Norwood, MA 02062-4662
781-255-7077
www.hospicefed.org

D. Rigney Cunningham, Executive Director

DESCRIPTION:

Dying well -- with dignity, without pain, at home and among family and friends -- is the goal of hospice care, a quiet movement that is gaining use by terminally ill patients and their families seeking an alternative to futile and costly high-tech hospital treatments at the end. In 1997, Massachusetts hospices cared for 10,400 dying patients and their families. Despite the growing numbers of individuals turning to hospice, and its increasing acceptance by insurance companies, many people still do not know about the availability of hospice at the end of life.

Founded in 1980, HFM is the voice of the 46 hospices across the Commonwealth. It promotes access to high-quality hospice care through advocacy, professional education, technical assistance and public awareness. Few hospices have the financial or professional wherewithal to put together fully effective public awareness campaigns. The staff of Hospice Federation of Massachusetts hopes to develop and disseminate public awareness tools that local hospices can use in their own communities, while leading a statewide campaign that takes advantage of direct mail, advertising and the Internet. To develop these materials they need your support.

(1998: HUMAN SERVICES: Health and Aging: General)