The Heart of Compassion: What It Means to Be a Hospice Aide
At the core of every patient’s hospice experience is a person whose care, presence, and compassion make each day a little brighter: the hospice aide. These caregivers are the heart of hospice, providing hands-on care and emotional support that bring comfort and dignity to patients and families when it matters most.
Hospice aides assist with daily needs such as bathing, dressing, and personal care, but their impact reaches far beyond the tasks themselves. They are often a patient’s constant companion — someone who listens, notices the small details, and helps families navigate each day with understanding and peace.
Two Gilchrist aides, Gail Arrington and Kamela “Kammy” Kess, recently reflected on what led them to this meaningful work and why it has become their true calling.
Finding Her Calling
For Gail Arrington, hospice care felt like coming home. Her journey with Gilchrist began more than two decades ago. In 1999, she worked in a clerical role at GBMC, where she found herself deeply moved by the compassion and calm that surrounded the patients and families.
“That experience ignited my passion to become a hospice aide,” Gail shares. “I thrived in the peaceful environment, and now, in 2025, I’ve returned to pursue my true calling—feeling an unshakeable sense of purpose that this is where I’m meant to be.” After years away, Gail felt drawn back to hospice, certain that this is where she’ll spend her career. “Hospice feels like my forever home,” she says.
Gail’s journey reflects what many in hospice discover: that this work is not just a job, but a calling. Each day, hospice aides enter patients’ homes and create spaces of calm and dignity. They ease pain, offer a gentle hand, and bring a human touch to care for during one of life’s most sacred transitions.
Strength Through Compassion
Kamela “Kammy” Kess, a hospice aide on The Lifecare Institute’s Team through its partnership with Luminis Health, has been with the organization for eight years. When she first joined as a hospice aide, she wanted to learn more about hospice philosophy and understand what it truly meant to care for people at the end of life.
“I came to hospice wanting to understand the meaning behind what we do,” Kammy explains. “My goal was to one day open an assisted living home where families would know their loved ones were being cared for and loved.” Through her work, Kammy discovered that being a hospice aide is about much more than providing physical care — it’s about being present for families during an emotional and often sacred time.
“Being an aide can be so rewarding,” she shares. “When you’ve done your best and see a smile on a family’s face, or lift a weight from their shoulders, that means everything. Being in hospice isn’t for the weak—you have to be compassionate, caring, patient, and most of all, love what you do.”
The Role That Makes All the Difference
Hospice aides are at the center of each patient’s care team, working alongside nurses, social workers, chaplains, and volunteers. Their presence allows families to focus on what truly matters — spending meaningful time together.
They are often the first to notice changes in a patient’s comfort, the ones who gently wash a patient’s hands, reposition them to relieve pain, or share a quiet moment of reassurance. They become trusted members of each family’s story, guiding them with dignity and grace. As Gilchrist continues to grow across the mid-Atlantic region, hospice aides remain at the heart of the organization’s mission — providing care that honors life’s final chapter.
Join the Gilchrist Team
For those who feel drawn to caring for others, hospice aide work can be one of the most rewarding careers imaginable. Gilchrist offers comprehensive training, ongoing education, and a supportive team environment where compassion is valued as much as skill. If you’re interested in learning more about hospice aide opportunities or other caregiving roles, visit gilchristcares.org/careers.