Some observations of a psychiatric consultant to a hospice

The hospice concept for the care of the terminally ill and their families has been developed relatively recently, in spite of its ancient origins, in order to meet urgent needs of families with sick relatives. The delivery of care under the hospice concept often has four coordinated components: inpatient care, partial hospitalization, home care, and a bereavement program. In this paper, the role and function of a psychiatric consultant to the inpatient and bereavement components will be described. Important clinical and dynamic issues and the role of the psychiatrist in regard to these issues will be delineated.