
End-of-Life University Ep. 533 The Legacy of Hospice in the U.S. and Around the World with Dr. Robert Buckingham
Learn the history of the hospice movement in the US from one of the original founders.

My guest Dr. Robert Buckingham is a Professor Emeritus of Public Health at the University of Michigan and has been a pioneer of the U.S. hospice movement, having played a role in the founding of the very first hospice program in this country. In addition he has co-developed 81 hospice programs across the globe including the firs hospice for children with AIDS in Thailand. He is the author of 12 books – 7 dedicated solely to hospice and palliative care. His latest book is Understanding Loss and Grief for Women. Learn more at his website:
This episode includes:
- The birth of hospice in America
- Current threats to the hospice movement
- Dr. Buckingham’s involvement in developing hospice programs around the world
- The historical philosophy of hospice care
- The benefits of providing hands-on care to a loved one at the end of life
- How the AIDS crisis helped fuel the growth of the hospice movement
- Lessons learned from dying patients
- Why he wrote about loss and grief for women and why we need to make sure we include men in grief work
- Remembering that change takes time and taking the long view on our work
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