PEOS IN THE COMMUNITY: WANDA SILVA AND THE COMFORT OF PRESENCE

When Wanda Silva, president of Silva Capital Solutions, walks into Wellstar Tranquility Hospice at Kennesaw Mountain, she is stepping into a familiar place. She was with her father in 1998, her sister in 2009 and her mother in 2012 during their final days. Those experiences changed the way she understands death and what it means to show up for people in their hardest moments.

When her father was nearing the end of his life, hospice staff supported Wanda’s family through every step.

“I’d never seen anybody die. I had no idea what to expect,” she recalls. “But if we hadn’t had those people to guide us through the process, hold our hand and tell us what was happening, I just don’t know how we could have done it.”

After her father’s death, Wanda began studying what physically and emotionally happens when someone dies. When her sister and mother entered hospice, she felt more comfortable being present as they passed.

“I was able to lie beside them and hold their hands in those final hours. It was very special,” she says.

Wanda felt that comfort was something she could share. After seeing Wellstar Tranquility Hospice in her community, she signed up to volunteer.

Her time at Tranquility begins with meeting nurses for updates on the patients and families she will see. Wanda and other volunteers then bring a tea cart room to room, offering refreshments and a moment of connection to families who may not have left a bedside in hours.

“I enjoy inpatient visits primarily with the family and loved ones because when they get to a facility, our patients are in the final days of their lives,” Wanda says. “I love the tea service because it makes the families know that we understand what they’re going through.”

Families often hesitate to leave, afraid their loved one might die while they are gone. Wanda reassures them that taking a break is okay and sometimes necessary.

“I find it very easy to get attached to people and families in these situations because you’re with them in some of the most difficult situations in their lives,” she explains.

Wanda also participates in the 11th hour program, where the facility alerts a small group of trained volunteers when a patient is nearing the end of life so someone can be present. She sits with patients in their final hours when loved ones are unavailable or too overwhelmed.

“We have a motto that no one dies alone, and there are times when people are so scared when those final breaths are coming that they want somebody to be with them,” she says.

Her son, Scott, says witnessing his mother’s volunteer service has made their family proud and inspired them to be there for others going through hard times. It has also helped them better understand and process grief.

Scott recalls not knowing how to handle loss when he was younger, but over time he has embraced grieving rather than avoiding it.

“We all learned through the process that it’s okay to grieve. It’s important to grieve. And if you don’t, it will come up at some point later in negative ways,” Scott says.

Wanda also sees similarities between hospice work and her professional role helping PEO owners with financial transactions. She guides clients through letting go of companies they built and care about, where they experience their own form of grieving.

“I’m really good at helping people exit either life or in their business. There are some real parallels,” she adds.

Her volunteer experience has also changed the way she approaches life. She often reflects on a book she once shared with peers in the industry called “The Top Five Regrets of the Dying,” which highlights themes like living authentically, expressing feelings openly, staying in touch with friends and choosing happiness.

“Knowing that we’re all not going to be here forever and keeping that as a guidebook to try to live your life as much as you can in the present has also helped me,” Wanda says.

For Wanda, showing up for others in their hardest moments is both an honor and a calling. At Tranquility, she offers what once carried her own family: comfort, presence and the reassurance that no one has to face the end of life alone.

Wanda with fellow volunteer Hannah, serving tea and snacks to patients’ families.

Wanda with Tranquility staff member Hilda, who keeps the facility safe and clean for patients, loved ones and visitors.