Episode Description
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
Links mentioned in this episode:
- A Year of Reading Dangerously reading group
- Get Wild and Holy on Amazon or Bookshop
- Latest post on Substack: Start Here – What Really Matters in 2026
- What Really Matters Podcast
- View my Patreon tier for Soul Supporters and receive extra reflections as a special bonus
- NEW Gift Guides for Caregivers, People Receiving Care, and People Who are Grieving
- Get my two newest books!! Stories from the Dark Night and The Tao of Death
- Get EOLU Podcast Merch here
- Conversations on Death with ChatGPT – Audiobook here; Print Book here
- Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram
- Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Souloin the team at Patreon.com/eolu and receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, Behind the Scenes Bonus content, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously!
- Buy me a coffee
- Donate on Paypal
If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu. And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.