Hospice Cares For Terminally Ill During Final Stage Of Life

LAKEWOOD, CO - AUGUST 21: Massage therapist Nikki Hernandez embraces terminally ill patient Jackie Beattie, 83, following a massage at the Hospice of Saint John on August 21, 2009 in Lakewood, Colorado. The non-profit hospice, which serves on average 200 people at a time, is the second oldest hospice in the United States. The hospice accepts patients, regardless of their ability to pay, although most are covered by Medicare or Medicaid. The goal of the center is to maintain quality of life, manage pain, and offer spirutal guidance for residents in the last stage of their lives. End of life care has become a contentious issue in the current national debate on health care reform. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)