In recognition of the legal complexity and emotional breadth of the Schiavo case, the Alexandria, VA-based National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, and the NHPCOs development arm, the National Hospice Foundation, have provided documents below on the NHPCO web site to offer further insight into this case and help those interested in information about advance care planning.
NHPCO offers educational material
December 1, 2003
NHPCO offers educational material
Recent media attention has focused on a case in Florida regarding litigation and care of Terri Schiavo, a patient receiving care in a hospice facility. In some of these reports, the role of hospice has been unclear. In recognition of the legal complexity and emotional breadth of the Schiavo case, the Alexandria, VA-based National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), and the NHPCO’s development arm, the National Hospice Foundation (NHF), have provided the documents below on the NHPCO web site to offer further insight into this case and help those interested in information about advance care planning:
- NHF brochure, "Communicating Your End of Life Wishes"
- NHF brochure, "Let’s Start Talking"
- NHPCO position paper clarifying the role of hospice in the Schiavo case (10/15/03);
- Op-ed from J. Donald Schumacher, PsyD;
- Op-ed from David Casarett, MD;
- talking points;
- An article from the Washington Post (10/23/03) that provides information on the difference between a persistent vegetative state and a coma, and the experience of death in such cases.