Walking Beside Families: The Compassionate Care Behind Hospice
posted by Chelsea Reed on Monday, November 24, 2025
November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, a time to recognize the compassionate care provided to patients and families facing life-limiting illness. At Avera@Home of Spencer Hospital’s Hospice Services, we are grateful for the opportunity to walk alongside individuals and their loved ones during some of life’s most meaningful moments.
What is Hospice Care?
Hospice care is specialized medical care focused on comfort, dignity, and quality of life when a person’s illness is no longer curable. We serve people of all ages facing a terminal diagnosis, offering support wherever they call home – whether that’s their house, a nursing facility, or the hospital.
Our team includes nurses, social workers, spiritual care providers, massage and music therapists, and trained volunteers. Together, we help manage pain and symptoms, assist with personal care, and provide emotional and spiritual support for both patients and families.
Hospice Suites Designed for Comfort
Spencer Hospital provides two dedicated hospice suites created to feel like home. These peaceful rooms allow us to offer short-term, inpatient-level care when needed. Each suite includes an adjoining space where loved ones can stay nearby, ensuring families can remain together through important moments.
Supporting Families Along the Journey
Hospice is not only about caring for the patient, its also about caring for the entire family. Our volunteers often become trusted companions, visiting patients, lending a hand with light tasks, or simply offering presence and conversation. Their support gives caregivers time to rest and helps maintain a sense of comfort and normalcy.
When a loved one passes, our bereavement team continues to walk alongside families, offering individualized grief support, including one-on-one counseling, for at least a year.
When to Consider Hospice Care
While many believe hospice is only for the final days of life, it is designed to help much earlier. Families often reach out when a physician determines an illness is incurable and life expectancy may be six months or less.
Other signs may include increased pain, weight loss, frequent hospital visits, or a greater need for help at home. Choosing hospice doesn’t mean giving up, it means shifting the focus from curing to comforting and making the most of every day.
Redefining Hope
Accepting hospice care can be an emotional step. But hospice is not about giving up hope – it’s about redefining it. Families often begin hoping for comfort, meaningful time together, peace, and dignity.
Many tell us they wish they had started hospice sooner because it offered more support and more meaningful moments.
Walking Beside You
If you think hospice may be right for your family, we are here to help. Anyone can call (712) 264-6380 to ask questions – no referral is needed. We work with Medicare, Medicaid, most insurance plans, and private pay options to ensure care continues without interruption.
At Avera@Home of Spencer Hospital, it is truly our privilege to walk alongside patients and families during one of life’s most important journeys. Our mission is to provide comfort, dignity, and compassionate support every step of the way.
Service of Remembrance Event
We would also like to invite families, friends, and community members to join us for our Service of Remembrance Candlelight Service on Monday, December 1st at 6:30 PM at Living Word Church in Spencer. Livestream and rebroadcast times will also be available.
This special gathering honors the lives of those we've cared for and offers a space for reflection, comfort, and healing.
- hospice