ABSTRACT
Hope is a universal, yet intensely personal experience that is dynamic and enduring throughout life. Patients, health-care providers, and health researchers have all acknowledged the important role of hope in palliative care and at the end of life. Beginning with an overview of the therapeutic value of hope, this chapter offers three key highlights: (a) the nature of hope for people who are facing a life-threatening illness, (b) approaches for assessing hope in people who are terminally ill, and (c) specific hope-enhancing interventions for this unique population. Practical clinical suggestions and strategies are woven throughout the chapter, with the ultimate aim of enhancing the integration of hope assessment frameworks and hope-focused interventions into routine end-of-life care.
