For one veteran receiving hospice care at Lily Hospice, a simple recognition ceremony made an extraordinary difference.
The patient, who was living with dementia, had become increasingly withdrawn, rarely interacting with others in his community. But when Evan Shelline, a U.S. Navy veteran and founder of VETTED, sat down with him during a veteran pinning ceremony, something changed.
“He lit right up,” Jacob Boynton, director of business development at Lily Hospice, told Hospice News. “The patient was communicating. They were talking about stuff. When we gave him a certificate and rendered that salute, he was right there and snapped a crisp salute as well.”
Following the ceremony, the patient began eating more, communicating with others and participating more actively in his community. His condition improved enough that he was eventually discharged from hospice care.
His wife was grateful for the unexpected change, Boynton said.
“It was absolutely amazing,” he said.
The experience illustrates the mission behind Lily Hospice’s expanding veterans’ program, which seeks to recognize military service, connect veterans with available benefits and provide care that acknowledges the unique experiences of those who served.
Lily Hospice, a Medicare-certified hospice based in Troy, Michigan, serves Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties in its home state. Its efforts have grown through its partnership with VETTED and the development of a Veteran Advisory Committee.
Shelline chaired the committee’s first meeting Oct. 7, 2026. Simone Luu, RN, a former Navy Hospital Corpsman who leads Lily Hospice’s Veteran Rapid Response program, serves as co-chair and clinical leader.
The committee brings together 10 veterans representing different military branches, generations and experiences. Its purpose is to advise Lily Hospice on how to better serve veterans and their families during end-of-life care.
The committee reviews how military service is identified during a patient’s initial hospice visit, advises the Veteran Rapid Response team, strengthens relationships with local veterans’ organizations and helps shape recognition ceremonies and educational resources for families.
For Boynton, the partnership has already produced tangible results.
Through the We Honor Veterans program and collaboration with VETTED, Lily Hospice has helped veterans access additional home health aide hours and other available resources. Shelline also conducts informational visits, offering veterans the opportunity to communicate with someone who understands military service firsthand.
“Having the VETTED resources there and the Lily Hospice resources there, we’ve been able to get veterans’ home health aide hours that they’ve been able to benefit from,” Boynton said.
The hospice is also developing staff education about the differences between moral injury and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), recognizing that veterans may experience challenges that require a deeper understanding of their military backgrounds.
Another major priority is helping veterans and their families navigate the often-complicated system of U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits.
Boynton said the hospice is developing a comprehensive checklist to guide families through the process, beginning when a patient enters hospice care. The checklist will help identify potential needs, available programs, application requirements and the paperwork necessary to access benefits.
“One of the focuses we wanted to have for this quarter was helping patients and families better understand the veterans’ benefits,” Boynton said. “And I say plural because there are so many of them.”
Shelline sadi he understands those challenges through both his military experience and his work with veterans.
He joined the U.S. Navy shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, serving approximately 10 years, including six years with the Navy SEAL Teams. In 2024, he founded VETTED, a service-disabled veteran-owned small business providing in-home care and respite care to veterans. Lily Hospice Founder and CEO Chris Warburton co-owns the business.
VETTED works within the VA Community Care network through its relationship with Optum, the VA’s third-party administrator for the program. Optum is a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group (NYSEL UHN).
Shelline said his motivation for starting the company was rooted in a desire to help veterans receive care and support while remaining connected to their communities.
He also began organizing what he calls The Veteran Muster, veteran-only gatherings in senior living communities across southeast Michigan. The gatherings grew out of concerns about older veterans experiencing isolation, particularly those who served during the Korean and Vietnam wars.
“Some of these veterans were just isolated,” Shelline said, describing his early experiences connecting with older veterans. He wanted to create opportunities for them to spend time with others who understood their military experiences.
The partnership between VETTED and Lily Hospice has allowed those efforts to extend into hospice care, where recognizing a veteran’s service can be an important part of the patient’s experience.
Shelline said the Veteran Advisory Committee provides a forum for veterans from different eras and branches to share their perspectives and identify ways to improve care.
One recurring concern is that many older veterans and surviving spouses may not realize they qualify for benefits. Some were previously denied assistance and have not revisited the process, despite changes in eligibility requirements and available programs. VETTED helps veterans understand available resources and identify the appropriate steps to pursue assistance.
The Lily Hospice veterans’ committee is also working to strengthen relationships with Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion posts, county veterans service offices and the VA.
For Lily Hospice, the goal is to make sure veterans are recognized from the beginning of their care and that their military experiences are considered throughout the process, according to Boynton.
Programs like these can have a great impact on a veteran’s end-of-life care, Shelline said.
“It’s so important to honor and celebrate these veterans while they are still with us and not wait until after they’re gone,” Shelline told Hospice News.
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