Prison Hospice

My friend Alice recently sent me a link to the National Prison Hospice Association.

I first became aware of the particular needs of incarcerated people who are dying when I cared for a patient who had been given a compassionate release from prison so that he could die surrounded by his family. This patient was released after he was imminently dying.

Programs such as the Michael Unit hospice of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice provide services to inmates who have six months or less to live, therefore, many of them are not nearly as imminent as my patient had been.

Thanks, Alice, for the link! I hope others find it interesting as well. What a great service this unit is providing. I hope that other prisons will develop similar programs.