Hospice care is a program designed to provide a dignified death for terminally ill individuals, focusing on pain management and comfort in a humane setting, often at home rather than in a hospital. The modern hospice movement was initiated by Cicely Saunders in England in 1967, and the first hospice in the United States was founded by Florence Wald in 1974. Currently, hospice care serves approximately 1.65 million Americans and their families, enabling many to spend their final days in a familiar environment.