What I Saw at the Bedside: Why I Left Hospice Nursing to Help Families Sooner

I spent about 20 years as a nurse, with nearly 10 of those years working in hospice. During that time, I had the privilege of sitting with a lot of patients and families during some of the hardest days of their lives. I worked with families who were trying to care for someone they loved while also figuring out medications, caregiving, insurance, finances, and what was going to happen next.

Hospice was meaningful work for me. I loved being a nurse, and I am proud of the years I spent doing it. But after doing it for so long, I began to notice something: A lot of the problems families were dealing with did not begin when I arrived as their hospice nurse. They had started years earlier. They just didn't know it yet.

The Pattern I Couldn't Ignore

One thing I saw over and over again was families being caught off guard financially. Sometimes they misunderstood what Medicare would cover. Sometimes they assumed insurance would pay for care that it didn't. Sometimes a family suddenly needed help caring for Mom or Dad and realized that Medicare was never designed to pay for years of custodial long-term care. (Custodial care is help with the basic tasks of daily living that someone can no longer do on their own: getting to the bathroom, preparing meals, getting dressed. When a family member steps in for those tasks, that's custodial care. And the time and energy it takes only grows as people age.)

And sometimes people had done everything they thought they were supposed to do. They worked hard. They saved money. They contributed to their retirement accounts. They paid off their home.

Then their health changed.

Suddenly, money that had taken 30 or 40 years to accumulate was being used to pay for care they never expected to need. That changes the way you look at financial planning.

After years of watching it happen, I realized that protecting someone's retirement isn't only about how much money they can accumulate. It is also about protecting that money from some of the expenses they may face later in life.

Healthcare and long-term care are a big part of that conversation.

From Helping During the Crisis to Helping Before It

For years, my job was helping families once the crisis had already happened. As a hospice nurse, I became pretty good at walking into difficult situations, figuring out what is happening, explaining things in a way people can understand, and helping a family determine what to do next. Eventually, I started asking myself a question:

What if I could help these families before the crisis?

What if some of the conversations I was having at the bedside could have happened five, ten, or even twenty years earlier? That question is a big part of what eventually led me from nursing into financial services, Medicare, and long-term care planning. I didn't stop being a nurse because I stopped wanting to help people. In many ways, I am doing the same thing I have done for most of my adult life. I sit down with people, look at their situation, explain what I see, answer their questions, and help them understand their options.

The biggest difference is timing.

In hospice, I helped families through the crisis. Today, I have the opportunity to help them prepare before one ever happens.

Why Medicare Matters to Your Retirement

One of the things I wish more people understood is that Medicare isn't just a healthcare decision. It can also be a retirement decision.

Most people spend decades thinking about how much they need to retire. They think about Social Security, pensions, 401(k)s, IRAs, investments, and whether their house will be paid off. Those things absolutely matter. But your health doesn't suddenly stop costing money when you turn 65. Depending on the Medicare coverage you choose, you may still have premiums, deductibles, copays, coinsurance, prescription costs, and other out-of-pocket expenses.

And then there is something Medicare generally was never intended to solve: long-term custodial care. That is why I believe Medicare and long-term care planning belong in the retirement conversation. You spent decades building your retirement. Part of my job is helping you understand the healthcare side of retirement so you can make informed decisions about protecting it.

What I Do Differently Because I Was a Nurse

I don't expect the average person to understand Medicare. Quite frankly, why would you? Most people have spent their careers becoming good at something completely different. Then somewhere around age 65, we hand them Medicare and expect them to understand Parts A, B, C, and D, Medicare Advantage, Medigap, prescription drug plans, networks, copays, deductibles, and enrollment periods. That's a lot.

My job isn't to impress you with how much I know about Medicare. My job is to make sure you understand it.

That part comes directly from nursing.

For 20 years, I had to take complicated medical information and explain it to patients and families in a way that made sense. More importantly, I had to help them understand their options well enough to make their own decisions. That is exactly how I approach Medicare. I don't believe there is one Medicare plan that is right for everybody. Your doctors, medications, health, finances, travel, lifestyle, and personal preferences all matter. My job is to help you understand the differences so you can make an informed decision about what makes the most sense for you.

Why I'm Writing This

I want people to know where I'm coming from when we sit down and talk about Medicare or long-term care. I didn't spend my entire career in financial services. I spent most of it taking care of people. I have seen what happens when families have a plan. I have also seen what happens when they don't. Those experiences are a big part of why I do what I do today. I would much rather sit down with you now, while you're healthy and have options, than have your family trying to figure everything out during a crisis years from now. That's really what this career change has been about for me.

For nearly 20 years, my job as a nurse was to help people when they needed it. It still is. I'm just trying to get there a little earlier now.

If you're approaching Medicare eligibility, already on Medicare and wondering whether your current coverage still makes sense, or helping a parent figure all of this out, I'm happy to have a conversation. There is no pressure. We'll look at your situation together; I'll answer your questions, and I'll help you understand your options. Then you can decide what makes sense for you.

*Government Required Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with the U.S. Federal Government or the Federal Medicare program. I may not offer every plan available in your area. Any information provided is limited to those plans I do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.