What is hospice care?

Though there is a social stigma surrounding death and dying in Taiwan, and people tend to shun talking about it, the relevant law on palliative care has already existed since 2000. Earlier versions of it in the early 1990s were specifically aimed at terminally ill cancer patients, and the law permits patients (and relatives) to choose to stop all attempts to medical treatment and pass away in a way that is comfortable for the patient, and comforting for the relatives.



 
According to a "Quality of Death Index" compiled by The Economist, Taiwan ranks 14th in the world (and 1st in Asia) as the "best" place to die in a dignified and pain-free manner. And the country's National Health Insurance (recently featured as a model for the US' Medicare reform) shoulder's the vast majority of the costs of palliative care.

A series of promotional videos produced by the Hospice Foundation of Taiwan explains to patients the possibility of leaving peacefully and painlessly.

The one above, captioned briefly:

"Terminal cancer in the final stage,
Afraid of pain, not afraid of death.
The feeling of pain is more demanding of your life than being ill.
Hospice/palliative care,
Medical intervention to alleviate symptoms
Professional stopping of pain...

A world of no pain and suffering, of peace and quiet.
To safeguard the dignity of life,
the quality of the end."