Abstract
Hospice care provides physical, emotional, and spiritual support to patients with a terminal illness and their families through the end of one's life. Social workers are a part of the multidisciplinary team that support patients and families along with nurses, chaplains, and other disciplines. While this service at the end of life is meant for anyone in need, of the patients receiving hospice annually, only 6% are Hispanic/Latino. Previous research identifies that there are several barriers to the Hispanic/Latino population accessing hospice care. With both the aging and Hispanic/Latino populations dramatically on the rise in the U.S., this research set out to explore social workers' considerations in serving the Hispanic/Latino population receiving hospice services with cultural sensitivity and how to increase hospice outreach and education to this population. Research was conducted through four (n = 4) semi-structured interviews. The findings were developed through an open-coding process and the following themes were identified: family involvement; communication; and, self-awareness and cultural competence. These themes were compatible with previous research, but offered additional depth and specificity as to how hospice social workers can support and serve Hispanic/Latino patients receiving hospice services. Future research calls for additional study as how to continue reaching out to this population and providing hospice education and services.