How long have you been in your position?

I have been with Hospice of the Midwest for 12 years since we started our lowa location. I have been in hospice care since 1998.

What attracted you to working in end-of-life care and what motivates you to continue working in end-of-life care?

The people. Wanting patients and families to have the best experience they can at the end of life. Now, it’s teaching our staff to look for opportunities to enhance life through end-of-life wishes, photos, outings, family get-togethers, ball games … whatever makes them happy. If they can’t go out, what can we bring to them that will enhance their quality of life and create memories?

What has been the biggest lesson you’ve learned from working in end-of-life care?

To not assume that people know what hospice is or know what they want during a time they have never encountered before. To ask questions about their lives and what is important to them.

What do you like to do when you’re not at work?

Being outdoors. We have a cabin we go to back in the timber that my grandparents built during the early 80s. We redid the cabin during the pandemic. It’s a retreat to just “be” and enjoy the sounds of the timber.