When Quantity of Life Is Limited, Hospice Focuses on Quality

The conversation about hospice care is not an easy one, and because of that, physicians, healthcare professionals, and families wait too long, missing the opportunity to experience how profoundly it can enhance quality of life when a cure is no longer possible.

At Hospice of Texarkana, our care focuses on the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the patient while also recognizing and caring for the circle of family, friends, and caregivers who surround them.

How does hospice become involved?
A patient can be referred by anyone, including their physician, a nursing facility, or a family member. They can simply call us and request an evaluation. If it is determined that a person has a life-limiting prognosis, they may qualify for hospice care. It is never an easy decision, but in the right situation, it can be a beautiful one.

A personal story
I can speak to the impact of hospice care from personal experience.

When I was younger, a close family member was losing their battle with liver cancer. When hospice was called in, we stopped focusing on a cure that was no longer possible and shifted our goals to comfort and dignity. What I witnessed over the days that followed changed my life. A team of professionals and volunteers showed up with extraordinary compassion, listening to our concerns, teaching us how to provide physical care, affirming the precious life that remained, and quietly preparing us for what was ahead. They helped us make the most of the time our loved one had left.

Through that experience, I learned something I carry with me to this day: the power of presence is enough. The right words rarely come easily in those moments, and that is natural. But it means something that you are there.

That experience led me into hospice work as a social worker. After a season in full-time ministry, I returned to hospice care as an executive director, a different role, but one I still consider a ministry.

About Hospice of Texarkana
Hospice of Texarkana, Inc. is the only nonprofit hospice organization in this region and a 501(c)(3) organization. That means we are here for everyone, providing dignified, compassionate end-of-life care regardless of ability to pay. Our care extends beyond the patient to family members, caregivers, and all those whose lives are touched by loss. Our bereavement program, which includes multiple support groups, walks families through grief for a year or more after their loved one has died.

If you have questions about qualifying for hospice care, our bereavement program, or volunteer opportunities, we would love to hear from you at 903-794-4263.

In Our Mission’s Service,

Greg Wood, M.S., L.S.W.
Executive Director, Hospice of Texarkana