EP 8 - Dying With Dignity: Inside Valor Hospice with Garrett King

In this episode of Our Purpose – The LTC Podcast, host Kip Kruger, along with co-host and Principal Health Systems CEO James Dieter, sits down with Garrett King, owner and CEO of Valor Hospice, to explore what it truly means to help people die with dignity.Garrett shares his journey from growing up in a hospice family, to working in large corporate hospice systems, to launching a family-owned hospice built around compassion, flexibility, and values-driven leadership. He explains why Valor staffs for need instead of rigid matrices, how they equip families for the dying process, and why he sees hospice as a calling—not just a business.In this episode, we cover:What hospice really is (and isn’t)“Quality of life” when a prognosis is six months or lessThe art of death and dying and preparing families for the transitionCultural differences in how families show up at the end of lifeHow Valor builds a team that aligns with its mission and valuesThe emotional weight and purpose of hospice workThe impact of Medicaid delays and reimbursement challenges on family-owned hospicesEntrepreneurship, resilience, and building an “all-star team” in healthcareIf you’re in long-term care, hospice, nursing home administration, or supporting a loved one through end-of-life, this conversation offers both practical insight and deep encouragement.