Hospices Expanding Services for the Veteran Population

The nation’s veterans are aging along with the rest of the U.S. population, and hospices are developing more programs and resources to address their unique needs.

Veterans of the Vietnam conflict range in age from 62- to 104-years old, and they now represent the largest contingent of former military who are approaching the end of life, Chemed Corp (NYSE: CHE) subsidiary VITAS Healthcare reported. Overall, roughly 2.7 million veterans served in Vietnam, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA).

These patients have unique mental, physical and socioeconomic needs when they come to hospice, according to Dr. Faith Protsman, VITAS regional medical director in California.

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“So often veterans and their special needs are overlooked. Particularly at the end of life, they need specialized care. We see it at the end of life when their defenses are not as strong,” Protsman said in a video that VITAS shared with Hospice News.

The incidence of certain conditions is often higher among veterans, for example. They are more likely than the general population to suffer from conditions such as liver disease, cirrhosis of the liver, lung cancer and hepatitis, according to Dr. Timothy Langan, regional medical director of VITAS-Delaware. Langan also served as a physician at the U.S. Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.

A “substantial” number of veterans experience a wide range of unique “life-adjustment” issues , as well as psychological and physical health conditions, according to the Veteran Affairs report. Examples include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and diseases and cancers linked to exposure to various toxic chemicals, herbicides, paint, and radiation.

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VITAS trains its clinical staff to recognize, identify and address specialized veteran needs in care plans, said Nancy Auster, community affairs liaison for veteran affairs at VITAS. Clinical and volunteer teams work “hand-in-hand” to ensure the right resources are available, she added.

Veterans have long been a priority population for hospices, as evidenced by the widespread participation in the National Hospice and Palliative Organization’s We Honor Veterans program, as well as numerous organization-specific initiatives. Nevertheless, new efforts are materializing each year.

Nathan Adelson Hospice recently began a food assistance program for homebound veterans in Nevada, funded largely through donations. Volunteers in the community-based program package nonperishable food items and deliver them to veterans wherever they call home.

A large population of veteran seniors who live in that area need food assistance, according to Nathan Adelson President and CEO Karen Rubel.

“We saw a need and wanted to make a difference,” Rubel told local news. “Thanks to the kindness of our donors, this program will allow us to meet the needs of folks right at their doorstep.”

The Las Vegas-based hospice provider also launched its Paws @ Home companion pet program in September, which uses robotic pets to help veteran patients and those suffering with dementia or loneliness. The therapy program is intended to improve the mental health and well-being of patients.

Expanded veteran-focused services are also cropping up in the nation’s Southeast region.

Florida-based Empath Health opened an adult day center for veterans in November. The new center provides medical care; physical, occupational, and group therapies; meals and snacks; group activities; and one-on-one or group support; among other services.

“The creation of this new adult day center exemplifies Empath’s mission of providing full-life care for all,” Empath President Jonathan Fleece said in a company statement. “The unique challenges veterans may face can leave them feeling alone and those who are caring for them burned out. The center will create a specialized community and support system for them.”

The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) recently rolled out a guide intended to help hospice and palliative care providers better understand veterans’ challenges and assist with their care needs.

The guide, Veteran Benefits and Resources for Hospice and Palliative Care Patients, is aimed at helping patients and families identify and acquire health care and other supportive benefits through the Veterans Administration as well as state agencies nationwide.

The NPHI Innovation Lab developed the guide with support from the Eagle Warrior Foundation and Partner Plus Media.

The guide has thus far served as a “great starting place” to connect veterans and their families with services, according to Julie Alley, veterans service liaison at Hospice of Cincinnati.

“One daughter shared that her father has never used any resources at the VA. The family felt with his increased needs, that it was time to help him ‘look into anything he could be eligible for’ but did not know where to begin,” Alley said in an NPHI statement. “The team offered the Veterans Resource Guide to the family, and they were very grateful to have it to review. Often a family doesn’t even know what questions to ask to secure resources that can make a difference.”

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