No one had more influence on the founding of Agape House than Hilary Soares, who, in the height of the AIDS crisis, convinced hospital and Government officials that people should be allowed to die with dignity.

IT is to her credit, and to others, like then Health Minister Quinton Edness, that the hospice was not designated for those dying from AIDS-related diseases, but for all people in need of palliative care in their last days.

That she had such a role in creating a symbol of sympathy in care makes her criticisms of its current administration so worrying.

It would be easy to dismiss her claims as the sour grapes of a founder who is no longer directly associated wit the hospice, but Hilary Soares is not that kind of person.

Instead, her concerns deserve to be taken seriously. The hospice was not, and was never intended to be, an extended care unit, where the skills required to care for those who have difficulty caring for themselves but have years of life head of them are quite different from those who may have just weeks, or even days, to live.

It is important to note that there are no bad people involved ion this. The administrators and staff of the hospital are caring people faced with gargantuan tasks in sometimes trying circumstances.

But the mission and role of the hospice is, as Mrs. Soares described it in yesterday's Royal Gazette, quite distinct and should be kept that way. It may be that not all of its beds are filled all of the time. but that does not mean that its functions should be mixed and matched.