Nurse Practitioner describes hospice profession as “an honor”

Casie Lahr has spent a decade of her career caring for patients nearing the end of their lives and says there's no place she'd rather be.

Casie Lahr, a nurse practitioner (NP) with IU Health Hospice, has spent a decade of her career caring for patients nearing the end of their lives. What others may see as a difficult role, Lahr embraces. “Yes, my work can be sad, but I get to see how much people love each other for a living. I walk into a home and see how much love there is. It’s special. It’s an honor to do this work,” she says.

Lahr and the hospice team oversee and facilitate comfort for those with a terminal diagnosis. The nature of the work requires efficient processes, and Lahr is responsible for swiftly reviewing incoming requests before connecting patients with the specific care they need. While in hospice, patients are cared for by a network of nurses, aides, social workers, chaplains and speech and physical therapists, among others. These resources deliver services that keep patients as mobile, independent and comfortable as possible.

While Lahr agrees her work can feel heavy, she confirms there’s no place she would rather be. She says, “This hospice team delivers excellent patient care, and we really care about how patients are feeling. We want patients to have as much well-being as possible so they can live the best life they can with the time they have left.”

IU Health Hospice offers patients with a terminal diagnosis the compassionate, high-quality care they deserve. Team members like Lahr, and countless other highly skilled professionals, positively impact patients, and their families, at every step throughout the hospice journey.