Hospice is never an easy topic to deal with, but Marriza Negrete is looking to help ease others through the process and to show that hospice care can actually be a valuable choice for their loved ones when the time comes.
Negrete is the senior account representative for Traditions Health Home Health & Hospice Care where she manages a team to help market the center’s core values and educate physicians, social workers, nurses, case managers, and more on the process of hospice care.
Negrete made the choice to work in hospice after it was recommended for her grandmother. At first, it was a hard choice for her family. Her mother thought it was synonymous with giving up and was very apprehensive about it whenever Negrete discussed it with her.
All it took was the right person for that mindset to change. Negrete contacted a hospice representative who sat down and spoke with her mother about just how beneficial the care can be.
The representative also happened to work for her future employer.
“After about an hour and some blood, sweat, and tears, my mom decided to do hospice, and we did it with our former company name, which was Harbor Light,” Negrete said.
When Negrete saw just how well her grandmother was taken care of and the positive impact it had on her and her family, she knew she wanted to give others that same feeling and ended up finding her life’s purpose.
“What was so beautiful about this was I saw firsthand as a family member what my company does for these patients. So it was very rewarding to see it from that aspect,” Negrete said. “And then fast forward to when they came to recruit me, it was an easy yes. It was a ‘Yes, absolutely, I'll go and I'll work there.’”
Though some people might have a negative view on hospice, Negrete said a big part in breaking down that stigma is making sure the care center is the right fit for both the person receiving treatment and their loved ones.
“My favorite part is being able to be that comfort for family, being able to educate them into what they think hospice is, and then they really realize, ‘Wow, I can really do all of this with hospice? I didn't know I could.’” Negrete said.
Negrete said she likes to help educate others on what hospice entails to give them peace of mind knowing they will be in good hands.
“People don't have the knowledge or the education as to what hospice really does, and then when we go in and we tell them, their mind is blown,” Negrete said. “It’s this sense of relief, this weight off their shoulders, and they think ‘Wow, I can really do this at home. My mom or my dad can be super comfortable in our home and they can go on this journey with peace, comfort, and dignity.’”
Negrete said upon receiving a referral, whether it be from a doctor or a family member, she and her team make sure to meet everyone involved to walk them through the process. Working in hospice is more than just working with the patient, but also with the families to establish that relationship and help them feel confident this is the right decision for their loved one.
“We do this really in-depth discovery before we say ‘Take me and this is why I want you to sign up for hospice, this is why you should.’ I don't start with those; what I start with is, ‘Tell me about mom. Tell me about that.’ I do this because it's such a taboo subject. It’s super important to be able to establish a sense of trust and make a connection with the person who you're speaking to,” said Negrete. “I always tell my families, ‘If you do not get the warm and fuzzies from me after talking to me, then I am not the company for you.’ Pick someone that you feel in your gut is the right decision to make.”
Negrete got to experience that warm and fuzzy feeling herself with her own grandmother and is now honored to be a part of a team that does the same.
“We're now able to just be a part of something larger, something bigger than ourselves, and it's very nice to be a part of it. There's so many wonderful things coming to us,” Negrete said.
To Negrete, those things include giving quality care to people in their time of need and giving them and those around them that warm, fuzzy feeling like a comforting blanket to help them along the way.