[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 10 (Wednesday, February 11, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E146-E147]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           TRIBUTE TO HOSPICE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ALLEN BOYD

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 11, 1998

  Mr. BOYD. Mr. Speaker, while November was National Hospice Month, I 
would like to take a moment now that the busy holiday season is over to 
recognize and thank several of the hospices which serve the communities 
in my district. Hospice of North Central Florida, Bay Medical Center 
Home Care and Florida Hospices, Inc., which is based in Tallahassee and 
serves all of Florida's hospices, make invaluable contributions to 
North Florida's families, all year round.
  Hospice care involves a team of professionals, including physicians, 
nurses, therapists, home care aides, counselors and volunteers who help 
terminally ill patients and their

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families share their final days at home in peace, comfort and dignity. 
These hospice caregivers help patients, as well as their family 
members, with one of the toughest transitions in life. The hospice 
program, primarily based in the home, treats the person, not the 
disease; focuses on the family, not the individual; and emphasizes the 
qualify of life. Hospice care ensures that the patient's life is as 
fulfilling and satisfying as possible, right up to the last moment.
  Last November, I was pleased to be personally invited by my friend 
Ron Wolf, to visit Bay Medical Center and participate in a breakfast 
honoring the many volunteers who give of their time to help North 
Florida's terminally ill patients and their families. Volunteers are 
the backbone of hospice care, and the multitude of volunteer positions 
available in hospice care serve as an opportunity for community 
members, old and young, to get involved in a service organization that 
provides critical care to those in need.
  Hospice care has played an important role in my life. Two years ago, 
I lost my father to cancer. I do not know what my mother and my family 
would have done without the care that our area hospice provided. The 
hospice allowed my father to die at home, in dignity, surrounded by the 
people who loved him. I want to thank the caregivers who helped my 
family through a very difficult time. My family and I will never forget 
their commitment and compassion.

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