Hospice porvides palliative support and care for persons in the final satges of an incurable disease so that they may live as fully and as comfortably as possible. Hospice recongnizes dying as part of the normal process of living and focuses on mantaining the quality of remaining life. Hospice affirms life and neither hastens nor postpones death. Hospice exits in the hope and belief that through appropriate care; and the promation of a caring community sensitive to their needs, patients and their familes may be free to attain a degreee of mental, social, physical and spiritual preparation for death that is satisfactory to them.