As a Veteran approaches the end of life he or she presents end of life cares and concerns that are unique to Veterans, as well as those end of life concerns typical of most people. Hospice at Home cares for three War Eras of Veterans who are approaching end of life – WWII, Korean, and Viet Nam. Each has different Veteran stories which impact their quality of life and dying.
Honoring our Veterans and honoring our Veterans preferences for care through the end of life is the right thing to do. At Hospice at Home we have launched a multi-faceted effort to reach and care for our Veterans.
This outreach includes:
Integrating the Military History Checklist into our start of care and initial psycho-social process and using this information to improve quality of life for patients and families.
We are actively recruiting Veteran volunteers and are establishing relationships with community Veteran organizations such as Veteran of Foreign Wars (VFWs) and American Legions.
We have implemented a Veteran to Veteran volunteer effort to recruit and train Veterans to be meaningful volunteers for Veteran hospice patients.
We provide Veteran specific training and tools for volunteers and staff.
We are an active member and participant in the Lest We Forget organization. Hospice at Home works closely with Lest We Forget to help capture the stories of our Veteran patients.
We are a partner in the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization’s “We Honor Veterans” Program, hospice professionals across the country focusing on a single purpose: to provide Veterans with comfort and support at the end of life.
We are a partner in the Michigan Hospice and Palliative Care Organization’s Hospice/Veteran Partnership Program, along with other hospices we are focusing on ways to improve access and care for Veterans.
We have implemented our Hospice at Home Salutes Our Veterans appreciation program. When open to it, our Veteran patient is presented with a Certificate of Appreciation signed by the Hospice at Home CEO. This presentation ceremony is conducted by a member of Lest We Forget who typically is wearing the uniform of the branch of military the Veteran patient served in. The Veteran is thanked for his or her service to our country.
Recognizing the commitment and dedication of our veterans is something that Hospice at Home is proud and honored to do. It’s the organization’s way of saying “thank you” to all veterans and their families.
Richard Grom
Community Relations Representative
Hospice at Home
4025 Health Park Lane
St. Joseph, MI 49085
269-429-7100
rgrom@hospiceathomecares.org
