A defining moment that made Ashley Rorer, director of digital marketing proud to be part of Compassus came before she joined the organization —when she saw a story on social media about a hospice team planning a wedding for a terminally ill patient who couldn’t leave his home. The care, compassion, and teamwork shown in that story stayed with her and confirmed that Compassus was where she wanted to be. Her personal journey with grief and loss growing up also shaped her connection to hospice care, helping her understand the importance of honoring people’s end-of-life journeys with empathy. Now, through her work in digital marketing, she’s passionate about connecting people with care and supporting teams nationwide, helping others learn about the incredible support Compassus provides.
Q: What was a defining moment that made you feel proud to be part of Compassus?
A: This has a few layers for me – Prior to coming on board with Compassus, I remember doing my “research” … looking at the website, social media, etc. At that time, I started following Compassus on social media where an incredible care story came across my feed. I can’t remember all the details, but I do remember it was about an engaged couple, where the man had received a terminal diagnosis and was on hospice care. Their wish was to be married, but unfortunately, he was unable to leave the house.
Without hesitation, the local team began planning an in-home wedding ceremony. The social worker picked flowers from their own garden, they brought a cake and had the chaplain perform the ceremony. I will remember that story for as long as I am able. Seeing the compassion and empathy above the clinical care is what drew me to Compassus and is what makes me proud to be part of this incredible organization.
The other layer that I truly appreciate is that Compassus is a team-focused organization. Our digital team is not at the bedside, but we do our best to connect with teammates across the country to understand their needs, provide support and amplify the incredible care they provide to our patients, families, providers and partners. This honor spans across all of our JV partners, service lines and team members.
Q: What was a pivotal moment in your career that led you to hospice care?
A: I’ve always believed that real growth often comes from moments of discomfort. I share that because, when it comes to end-of-life experiences, I’ll admit—I’m a self-proclaimed train wreck. I think it’s because I see how heartbroken people are and how hard they try to keep going without the person they loved.
I experienced the loss of three grandparents before graduating high school. Losing loved ones at different stages of my childhood and teen years shaped the way I understood grief. When I was in middle school, even though I was surrounded by the love and support of my family, I felt a deep sadness and disconnection—so many questions ran through my mind about why they had to pass.
Later, facing another loss in high school brought a different kind of grief. I had more awareness of the ripple effects—the impact it had not only on me, but on the people around me. And with that awareness came a clearer understanding that my loved one was no longer suffering.
One of the greatest gifts of working at Compassus is learning that bereavement is not a moment in time—it’s a journey. It doesn’t come with a fixed timeline, and it doesn’t look the same for everyone. But there are resources and support available to help you through it, and I’m grateful to be part of an organization that recognizes the importance of honoring each person’s grief with compassion and care.
I think when you’re young, you have such black and white interpretation of what end of life means, that you don’t get to see the incredible quality of life that patients experience through hospice care. Through my time at Compassus, my understanding of what hospice care is and should be, has grown enormously. I’ll probably still be an emotional mess—but there’s real peace in knowing this final chapter can be approached with compassion and purpose.
Q: What motivates you to keep going, even on the most challenging days?
A: I think for me it’s seeing the incredible work that our teams provide at the bedside all the way through the teammates that don’t have a direct impact to patient and family care. Not to mention I love a challenge and will work hard to find the right solution for the need!
Q: How does your work make a difference for patients and the teams you support?
A: You don’t know what you don’t know—until you really need to know it. Whether it’s home infusion, home health, palliative or hospice – research is always the starting point.
That’s why our marketing and communications team is here. Our team is honored to create helpful tools, digitally available information and access points so people can learn about our care services and connect with the right support at the right time.
Q: If you could share one message about the impact of your work with the community, what would it be?
A: I think the biggest impact is helping provide education and access points for all of our care services through our online presence – like the website, social media, listings and advertising. One of the biggest honors is being able to amplify the incredible clinical care, teammate impact and program recognition in the communities we serve.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your role?
A: I really like finding creative (digital) ways to help connect patients and families, providers and partners with care services. I also love seeing the amazing stories from our care teams—whether it’s a kind review, a teammate being recognized or a family sharing their experience. It’s an honor to help share those moments and shine a light on the great work being done.
