During our morning meeting time this morning, several of our team members told stories about people who noticed their hospice name badges out in public and came up to say, “Thank you for what you do!” or to share a story about a loved one in their life who received hospice care. This is something we all share: Once hospice has touched your life, you know what it means to have professionals you can rely on and trust, RNs to call around the clock, hospice aides to help with daily needs, social workers to help you figure out life’s challenges, and chaplains to listen, support, and pray.

Here at Suburban Hospice, we are a small (but mighty and growing!) team located in central Indiana, but we are also part of a worldwide family of hospice caregivers who feel called to do this work. We feel blessed to be the ones who are there with families and patients as they near the end of their lives. We care about their dignity, their goals, their peace of mind, their comfort, their hopes, their pets, and their sense of meaning and quality of life. What an honor it is to be included in their lives for any amount of time–short or long.

So the next time you see a hospice worker out in public, feel free to say “Thank you!” or share a story. We love that! But know, too, that in a very real way, those of us blessed to work in hospice really, truly thank you.