Out of any industry in the world, none has more riding on its shoulders than the healthcare industry. From the neurosurgeon to the EMT driver, everyone in the healthcare industry has a role in ensuring that a patient gets healthy. It’s a very driven, determined business with many facets and a single goal.

But what happens when the goal of getting healthy is out of reach?

Many people don’t like talking about hospice – and it’s no surprise. It forces us to look at life without a loved one. Though hospice provides relief for patients and loved ones alike, it’s not easy. But when you can’t change the destination, you improve the journey.

So how do we get people talking about something we naturally avoid talking about? By being direct – and focusing on what we can control.

#UnderOurCare

That’s the goal of Arbor Hospice’s #UnderOurCare campaign – to highlight the Ann Arbor organization’s commitment to providing care to all who have been entrusted to them. By taking direct quotes from people within the organization – employees and volunteers alike – the campaign is authentic, vulnerable and speaks to the core of the organization. It’s also a very clever play on words – an arbor is a tree or gazebo that provides shelter and comfort.

 

 

With the backing of Hospice of Michigan, the state’s largest hospice provider, Arbor Hospice is able to provide Washtenaw County and the surrounding communities a variety of health and support services that others cannot. Those at Arbor Hospice aren’t afraid to talk about what they do – and give high praise to the organization for providing them with the tools they need to care for patients. That shows in the posts in this campaign:

 

Working on this campaign – and on this client – makes me stop and think quite often. Caring for someone in such a vulnerable state is unlike any other position in healthcare – and therefore, given the subject matter, my task of giving hospice care a voice is unlike any other in our firm. By staying true to the core of what Arbor Hospice represents – giving comfort to the uncomfortable – the campaign’s message is effective.

Tell us: how do you talk about uncomfortable subjects? Are there any examples you can show? Leave a reply and join the conversation!

Many Franconians contributed to this post.