Compassion First: A Hospice Social Worker's Perspective
When asked how she's doing during her second battle with breast cancer, Kim Dorman, hospice social worker at Empath Health Hospice of Marion County in Ocala, Florida, doesn't focus on herself—she talks about her patients. "I have too many patients that need me," says Kim. "This is not work for me. I get up every morning with the hopes of being able to make a difference. One patient. If I can do that, then that's my legacy." Her response reflects both her character and the culture of compassionate hospice care at Empath Health, where caregivers find not just a career, but true purpose and belonging.
Discovering a Calling Through Loss
Kim's journey toward hospice care began years ago during her work as a case manager. She witnessed a 27-year-old man take his final breath after an overdose. Surrounded by family, his passing might have been devastating—but for Kim, it revealed something deeper. "While I was standing there, I felt calm and peace," Kim recalls. "That's when I realized death doesn't have to be doom and gloom. It can be a beautiful process." This life-changing moment inspired her to pursue a master's degree in social work—earned during COVID while working full-time—and eventually led her to her role as a hospice social worker with Empath Hospice of Marion County.
Shared Experience: Connecting Through Cancer and Care
Kim's work took on new meaning after her own breast cancer diagnosis. Her personal experience allows her to walk alongside patients with empathy that only comes from lived experience. "When I tell my patients I understand, I truly mean it. There's a connection," Kim explains. "When you're sick, people often pull away because they don't know how to help. But with hospice, you are never alone." This bond transforms the traditional caregiver-patient relationship. Many times, Kim's patients and their families remind her to care for herself, a role reversal that reflects the healing power of community within hospice care.
Finding Family and Purpose at Empath Health
Beyond her professional calling, Empath Hospice of Marion County has given Kim something more—family. Raised by a single mother, becoming a teen mom, and rebuilding her life through education, Kim discovered true belonging in her hospice team. "For me, it's feeling like I belong, feeling like I have a purpose," she shares. "It took me 40 years to figure out what that was, and I found it at Empath Health." During her cancer treatment, the outpouring of support from leadership and teammates—calls, visits, care packages—has reaffirmed that sense of family.
Resilience in the Face of Cancer
Now preparing for more aggressive chemotherapy, Kim remains focused on her patients and her long-term goal: becoming a licensed clinical social worker. "I'm not done," she says with determination. "I have a good prognosis, but I don't have time to waste. I want to get back to doing what I love—helping patients."
The Empath Health Difference in Hospice Care
Kim's story embodies Empath Health's mission of Full Life Care—meeting patients, families, and colleagues wherever they are in their journey. "I've never been more welcomed and supported by leadership than I have here," Kim explains. "Empath Health has grown, but it hasn't lost the personal touch. We're bigger, better, and still deeply connected."
A Legacy of Connection
For Kim, hospice care is ultimately about family. "With hospice, we're with people from start to finish," she reflects. "We may not be related by blood, but we are family to our patients." Her story is proof that in hospice, healing flows both ways. Caregivers like Kim discover their own strength, purpose, and belonging in the act of supporting others during life's most difficult moments. At Empath Health Hospice of Marion County in Ocala, Florida, Kim Dorman has found more than a career—she's found her calling.
