Thankful for CNAs -The Unsung Heroes of Hospice Care
By Casey Eckley, DO, PCNOW Board of Directors

“How will we be able to bathe Mom if she isn’t able to get out of bed?”  “How do I dress my husband?” “How will I care for them when they are bedbound?”   These are all questions that I commonly hear from loved ones when we are discussing home-going with hospice support.  I am blessed with the knowledge that our Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) will be a calming, supportive, and compassionate presence that will help guide and educate families on how to care for their loved ones. 

CNAs not only provide clinical care to patients, including assistance with bathing, dressing, and eating, but they also provide a wealth of emotional support, including a listening ear, a hand to hold, and a steady presence that helps guide the patient and family through the dying process.  CNAs are present for some of the hardest moments in a person’s life, and they can provide a sense of dignity and trust.  CNAs often get to know patients and their families on a deeply personal level, which allows them to be liaisons between the patient and the rest of the healthcare team. 

Before medical school, I had the honor of working as a nursing assistant at the VA in Madison, WI, on the general medical floor.  This opportunity helped shape the person and physician I am today.  I know from experience how thankless this job can feel at times, though I also know how rewarding it can be and how much the patients appreciate the support provided.  Though I have worked alongside CNAs in the hospice field, I have not done this personal work in the homes of patients, so Alli Emrich, CNA, provided me with some insights.  

Alli chose hospice care as she believes that “We all deserve loving, compassionate care and understanding at the most difficult time of our life journey.”  She finds fulfillment in her career through developing close bonds with her patients and their families. She shares, “We are a familiar face that sees them weekly or daily. We create that trust, which is important when things get closer to our next journey.”  Alli loves that she can help keep people in their homes so they can be surrounded by their memories and their family.  She shares that the most challenging part is when a patient passes away as they lose the friendships and bonds that they have created with the patient and family.  Knowing that she is able to provide peace and comfort fills her cup and allows her to create new bonds with new families. 

Without the kind, caring, compassionate work of our CNAs, hospice would not be able to continue to provide patients with end-of-life care in their homes.