| Hospice Cleveland County Recognized as a We Honor Veterans Partner |
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“Hospice Cleveland County is pleased to have recently partnered with the We Honor Veterans program,” said Patti Ellis McMurry, Vice President of Access. “Veterans may have experiences from their military service that present unique needs at the end of life and we want to be prepared to provide excellent care to these men and women who have sacrificed so much for our country. Only 33% of Veterans are enrolled in the VA to receive their entitled benefits and we want to educate and assist Veterans and families in obtaining these benefits. Also, VA medical facilities care for only 4% of Veterans at the end of life; 96% die in the community. Twenty-six million Veterans are alive today; 25% of all deaths in the U.S. are Veterans; and more than 1,800 Veterans die each day. This is a large segment of the population who needs our care and needs our understanding of their unique needs.”
To help provide care and support that reflect the important contributions made by these men and women, Hospice Cleveland County has become a national partner of We Honor Veterans, a pioneering campaign developed by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) in collaboration with the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA).
As a We Honor Veterans partner, Hospice Cleveland County will implement ongoing Veteran-centered education for their staff and volunteers to help improve the care they provide to the Veterans they proudly serve. The nation is seeing many of the Veterans who served in World War II and the Korean War pass away – and the number of deaths of Vietnam Veterans is beginning to rise.
The We Honor Veterans campaign provides tiered recognition to organizations that demonstrate a systematic commitment to improving care for Veterans. “Partners” can assess their ability to serve Veterans and, using resources provided as part of the campaign, integrate best practices for providing end-of-life care to Veterans into their organization. By recognizing the unique needs of our nation’s Veterans who are facing a life-limiting illness, Hospice Cleveland County is better able to accompany and guide Veterans and their families toward a more peaceful ending. And in cases where there might be some specific needs related to the Veteran’s military service, combat experience, or other traumatic events, Hospice Cleveland County will find tools to help support those they are caring for.
“All hospices are serving Veterans, but often aren’t aware of that person’s service in the armed forces,” said J. Donald Schumacher, NHPCO President and CEO. “Through We Honor Veterans, we are taking a giant step forward in helping hospice and palliative care providers understand and serve Veterans at the end of life and work more effectively with VA medical facilities in their communities.”
“VA shares a common goal with our nation’s hospices and that is to provide the best possible care specifically tailored for Veterans, meeting their goals of care in their preferred setting. As we focus on working together and unite our services and skills, We Honor Veterans will channel our combined strengths directly to Veterans – wherever they are receiving care.”
The resources of We Honor Veterans focus on respectful inquiry, compassionate listening, and grateful acknowledgment, coupled with Veteran-centered education of health care staff caring for Veterans.
“America’s Veterans have done everything asked of them in their mission to serve our country and we believe it is never too late to give them a hero’s welcome home. Now is the time that we step up, acquire the necessary skills and fulfill our mission to serve these men and women with the dignity they deserve,” added Schumacher.
For more information on the We Honor Veterans program, call Patti Ellis McMurry at 704-751-3531.
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