Hospice is not a death sentence
Understanding the End of Life A Hospice Guide for Families Introduction A Journey Into Hospice Care In 2015, I began a journey that would permanently change the way I understand life, death, and the care we give to people during their final days. At the time, I was working as an agency nurse and visited a healthcare facility for an assignment. During that visit, I met someone who asked if I would be interested in working for a hospice agency. At that moment, I did not fully understand how meaningful that opportunity would become. Before entering hospice care, I had already spent time caring for elderly patients. Working with geriatric patients gave me some insight into aging and declining health, but hospice care introduced me to a different level of responsibility. Hospice care focuses on comfort, dignity, and emotional support for patients who are approaching the end of life. During my first ninety days working in hospice, I witnessed several patients pass awa...