Initially called Montrose South, the centre was renamed Agape House shortly after its inauguration. Appropriately `Agape' translates to unconditional love in Greek. ( And according to Mrs. Hillary Soares, head of the Hospice, the name change was meant to alter the character of the unit).

Agape House offers a unique area of care for patients suffering from uncurable illnesses. "Originally the House was going to be solely for AIDS patients,'' said Mrs. Hilary Soares, head of the Hospice. "But AIDS statistics in Bermuda are lower than other long-term illnesses. And if it was simply an AIDS hospice, we'd be forced to close due to a lack of people,'' she said.

Patients living at the Hospice include those with cancer, brain degeneration, multiple sclerosis, artery disease and AIDS as well as other long term illnesses.

Since the official opening three years ago, the occupancy level at the Hospice has skyrocketed. In 1991, Agape House was only three percent full. In 1992, the number climbed to 63 percent. And by 1993, the Hospice was 73 percent occupied. Currently Agape House is full to capacity.

And as long as Mrs. Soares is heading the Hospice, "the number of beds will not increase. We can house 12 patients,'' she said. "And I don't want to expand.'' Preferably, the centre will encourage home care services through the Hospital.

"Looking after a patient at home is very cost effective,'' said Mrs. Soares.

"And we can train the family to take good care of their loved ones.

"Also if the AIDS epidemic grows as much as forecasted, we'll need such care.

We must be resourceful in getting it to work for us,'' she said. "But it can be very effective.'' Typically relatives aren't accustomed to caring for terminally ill patients.

And caregivers aren't quite sure how to behave when someone is dying.

"But it's best to die at home where you have loved ones around you rather than in a sterile environment,'' said Mrs. Soares.

"I think we'll slowly return to the old way of thinking when family took care of dying patients. It's confusing but people should see death as a normal event,'' she said.

Apart from around the clock intendance, Agape House offers a co-op care programme which allows patient care to be split up between the Hospice and the families.

"And the Hospice has a vacation care system,'' said Mrs. Soares. "When the family needs time out from caring for their loved ones, we'll step in.

Twenty-four hour nursing is very stressful,'' she added. "Families need a vacation from it sometimes.'' Additionally, the Hospice holds special meetings and offers bereavement care for the patients' families. "It's a very painful process for them,'' said Mrs. Soares. Also the Hospice liaises with PALS, STAR, District Nursing Services and other organisations to comfort the families.

Agape House is an open hospice -- any patient sick with an incurable illness can be admitted. And the staff will provide patients with symptom control to make them as comfortable as possible until they pass on.

The average length of stay at the Hospice is six to eight weeks. "We try to create a hopeful and happy atmosphere for the patients everyday,'' said Mrs.

Soares.

"Nurses don't wear uniforms. And the rooms are painted in uplifting colours such as peach and pale green.

"We hold parties for the residents and encourage them to socialise. Every effort is put in to help patients live,'' she said. "We focus on life. And hope springs eternal -- it keeps them plugging along.'' The concept behind Agape House is quite similar to hospices abroad. But it is tailor made to fit Bermuda. "I visited a Toronto AIDS hospice recently,'' said Mrs. Soares. "And I found their philosophy and characteristics to be almost exactly the same.

"But I think the care is better here than abroad. We are well ahead of the game,'' she said. "We've benefited from care of the dying in Bermuda since 1980. It was known as cancer care back then,'' she added.

The Hospice counts on volunteers to create as happy an atmosphere as possible.

There are 17 permanent staff and a group of 75 people known as Friends of Hospice who volunteer their services.

"We also have a volunteer chaplaincy service of eight or nine ministers. And this is really important because we deal with a lot of spiritual concerns,'' said Mrs. Soares.

The private garden -- located behind the Hospice -- is a perfect setting for spiritual reflection. The garden, which was landscaped by the Bermuda Garden Club, is beautifully manicured thanks to the continuing efforts of the Garden Club and the Bermuda Rose Society.

Future plans for the garden include the construction of a sanctuary equipped with stained glass windows. It will serve as a multipurpose retreat where "people can contemplate, ministers can counsel, or families can collect,'' said Mrs. Soares.

Agape House is a relatively new addition to health care services on the Island. And it plays a crucial role in helping relatives to care with dying patients. "It's a remarkable step forward,'' said Mrs. Soares.

MRS. HILLARY SOARES -- Head of the Hospice.