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CompassionCare Hospice Recognized as a We Honor Veterans Partner

It may surprise many people to learn that 25 percent of those who die every year in the U.S. are Veterans. To help provide care and support that reflect the important contributions made by these men and women, CompassionCare Hospice has become a national partner of We Honor Veterans, a pioneering campaign developed by National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Veteran saluting American flag

As a We Honor Veterans Partner…

As a We Honor Veterans Partner, CompassionCare Hospice 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 Korean pass away-and the number of deaths of Vietnam Veterans is beginning to rise.

What Is the We Honor Veterans Program

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, CompassionCare Hospice 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, CompassionCare Hospice will find tools to help support those they are caring for.

man holding American flag

A Quote from NHPCO President & CEO

“We thank Veterans Administration for partnering in the We Honor Veterans program,” says NHPCO President & CEO Edo Banach. “We Honor Veterans partners are committed to providing quality Veteran-centric care to the Veteran patients they serve. They CompassionCare Hospice Recognized as a We Honor Veterans Partner understand how a Veteran’s military service, combat experience or other traumatic events, could impact their end-of-life experience.” The resources of We Honor Veterans focus on respectful inquiry, compassionate listening, and grateful acknowledgment, coupled with Veteran-centric education of health care staff caring for Veterans. To learn more about We Honor Veterans or to support this important work via a secure, online donation, please visit www.wehonorveterans.org.

“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,” added Banach.

American flag and stethoscope

At CompassionCare, veterans are one of the incredibly special groups of

individuals whom we have the honor to serve. In our eyes, the men and women who

have bravely served our country and their families who sacrificed so much to support

them deserve to live out their days without worrying about end of life care. Our goal is to

provide hospice care that will help them live comfortably, with dignity and proper care

until their final day. Providing veterans with high quality, patient focused hospice care is

one way that we can give thanks.

Today, the percentage of individuals who volunteer to serve our country is small, less

than 1%. Fifty plus years ago, during World War II or the wars in Korea and Vietnam,

this wasn’t the case. A much higher percentage of young individuals were drafted into or

volunteered for the military. Those veterans are now entering an age group where they

may require end of life or hospice care, making the need for high quality hospice

providers more important than ever.

Understanding what exactly hospice care is can help you to determine if you or a loved

one qualify. Hospice care is reserved for individuals who are in their final months of life.

It is a way for individuals with terminal illness to continue having their needs met even

when a cure is not feasible. A team of experts provide comprehensive medical care,

pain management, comfort measures, and emotional and spiritual support to make sure

that the individual in care can live and pass away on their terms, even in the face of

terminal illness.

Hospice Benefits for Veterans

As a veteran, hospice care is included in the VA’s standard medical care benefits

package. There are three criteria that veterans must meet in order to qualify for hospice

care. The three hospice criteria for veterans include:

1. A medical diagnosis of a life-limiting disease or illness

2. Treatments or care plan goals that provide comfort rather than a cure

3. A doctor’s assessment that life expectancy is 6 months or less if the disease runs

its usual course

If hospice care is provided to a veteran at a VA hospital or at an organization that has a

contract with the VA, no copay is required. This can help to alleviate some of the stress

for family and friends who wish to provide the best possible care to their loved one. The

hospice experts at the VA and at the organizations who partner with the VA are well

versed in providing individualized, expert care and can help navigate any questions or

concerns you may have. An additional benefit of hospice care for veterans is that it can

be provided in the comfort of their own home, or in an inpatient or outpatient setting.

This allows for flexibility and maximal comfort depending on the living situation of each

individual and their family.

Hospice care can completely transform an individual’s end of life experience and can

help to make the difficult transition for one’s family as smooth as possible. BrightSpring

Health Services is determined to ensure that every veteran has the opportunity to live

and die with dignity. Our mission is to offer support to you and your family in whatever way you need.

National Volunteer Month

Volunteers are an essential part of the hospice care team. The difference they make for our patients and their families is immeasurable. Whether it’s through direct care or administrative work behind the scenes, there are countless ways a hospice volunteer can help.

We are beyond grateful for the incredible people who volunteer their time and talents to make a positive difference in our patients’ lives. In honor of National Volunteer Month, we’d like to recognize just a few of them. We asked our volunteers to share what made them decide to be a hospice volunteer and what they find most rewarding about their experience.

Dennis

Hospice of the Midwest Volunteer – We Honor Veterans Program

Dennis

“On September 10, 2018, Mr. Kelly Gafkjen, Chaplain, Hospice of the Midwest, was a guest speaker at our Urbandale-Johnston Veterans of Foreign Wars monthly meeting. Kelly was on a mission seeking veterans to talk to veterans in local hospice care in their homes or hospice facilities.  Many veterans in hospice would like to share their life and military experiences, but feel only a fellow veteran can associate with their feelings. At the conclusion of his presentation, Kelly asked that we consider volunteering, receive some minimal training, and agree to talk to veterans who are seeking fellow veterans to talk to.  After our meeting concluded, a number of us discussed the information presented by Kelly, and three of us thought this was right in line with our VFW mission of “Veterans helping Veterans”.  Contact was made with Kelley and the three of us started our training at the Fall Training Session September 27, 2018 , conducted by Kelley and Taylor Schneider.  By the end of October we had finished our training and were waiting for our first assigned veteran. Under the guidance of Taylor I was introduced to my first veteran during a pinning ceremony on November, 30, 2018.  Since then I have had the privilege of meeting and sharing both civilian  and military experiences with 9 veterans of WW II, Korea, Vietnam and the Cold War eras.  Every veteran, whether Army, Air Force, Navy or Marine, were all comrades and had their own unique and fascinating stories to tell. Some sad, some humorous, but all seemed willing to share with enthusiasm. I so much enjoyed visiting with these men, and I only hope they felt the  same comradery that I felt while in their presence.  I will miss these veterans but look forward to meeting my next comrade.”

Kendall and Ashley

Premier Hospice Volunteers

Kendall and Ashley

“Kendall and I (Ashley) love volunteering for Premier Hospice! We started in 2019 and volunteer weekly. Kendall states that he enjoys working in an office setting and learning new skills. I have been working with Kendall through the Medicaid Waiver program for almost 5 years. Seeing Kendall get to experience a work-type setting and learn new skills has been very rewarding. Nikki is a lot of fun to work with and always makes us feel appreciated!”

Arav and Anishka

Grane Hospice Volunteers

Arav and Anishka

“We started volunteering for a local hospice during the pandemic (2020). We stumbled upon the opportunity from an email our mom received asking for donations of homemade casseroles and cards for hospice patients and their families. At first, it started by making occasional cards and casseroles, and then it turned into a routine every other week activity. This evolved into helping other hospices including including Grane Hospice. We have made homemade cards and even have given a virtual concert for the patients at Grane Hospice. We feel grateful to be able to give back to others in need even during a worldwide pandemic. It shows no matter what the circumstances, we can help others in our community. All this volunteer work has inspired us to create our own non-profit group called Rays of Sunshine, benefiting local hospices. We hope to expand and help even more local hospices in the future.”

Daniel

CompassionCare Hospice Volunteer

Daniel

“Coming from a family where both parents were in the medical field, I have had an interest in medicine ever since I can remember. In the pursuit of getting involved with medical volunteering opportunities, I wanted to commit to something that would provide meaningful experiences in vulnerable people’s lives, as well as my own. Although my patients’ physical bodies are failing them, they still have great wisdom to impart when given the chance to share and be heard. Many times, I leave the local assisted living facility with an enlightened perspective that I believe will serve me well in the career I am aspiring to have. From hearing first-person stories of World War II experiences to celebrating 96 years of living, there is always a window for valuable learning opportunities when I have the chance to spend time with these folks whom I now consider my friends.”

Joan

AT Home Care and Hospice Volunteer

Joan

“I Prayed about being a Hospice Volunteer and this is how the Lord is using My ability as a Hairdresser, to bring Comfort and Joy to the Patients. The most rewarding aspect is seeing the Happiness in the Faces of the Patients and their Families. Working with Them is a Blessing to Me.”

Virginia and Flynn

Grane Hospice Volunteers

“Being a hospice volunteer is about having a passion and love for helping others. No, I don’t physically help them but the most rewarding part about volunteering with my dog, Flynn, is seeing the joy it brings to residents. Residents look forward to our visits and remember us from week to week, allowing special connections to be made. I’m thankful for the opportunity Flynn and I have to give our time and make people smile.”

Kennedi and Ernest

Hospice of North Alabama Volunteers

Kennedi and Ernest

Kennedi and Ernest – graduate level social work students with Alabama A&M University and the University of Alabama – are student volunteers with Hospice of North Alabama in Huntsville. They sit with patients to provide caregiver respite. Hospice volunteer work allows students to garner a strong understanding of how social workers broker services within a healthcare agency as well as how to coordinate with various other healthcare and social service agencies.

Ernest states “I have learned that the process of dying and bereavement is as diverse as the families we serve. The first step of serving this population is engaging the patient and/or caregivers on what they want this time in their lives to be like—no two answers are the same.”

Along with the home environment, they also work with residential care communities to provide comfort and support. This gives them experience working with diverse community types and medical care needs.

Kennedi states “The things I’ve learned while interning at Hospice of North Alabama have prepared me to be a more caring and competent social worker. The compassion and kindness that HNA shows to the patients has been extended to me from the very beginning, and I’m so grateful. This has been the greatest experience of service I have committed myself to.” Ernest agrees, adding: “Knowing that you have provided support to a patient and/or their family in this transition period is rewarding. Establishing the trust that fosters comfort and emotional resiliency is an experience that will give volunteers a unique understanding of how health care best serves patients in all life stages.”

Choi-ha

Premier Hospice Volunteer

“My internship and volunteering experience with Premier Hospice was meaningful and fulfilled my longstanding desire of working with end-of-life services to clients and their families. 

I enjoyed working with a well-resourced team that included a chaplain, bereavement coordinator, social workers, liaisons, nurses, a doctor, and a volunteer coordinator. Each of them brought to bear their own particular skillset, and we all collaborated to make our clients’ end of life as comfortable and dignified as possible. 

Besides teamwork, I enjoyed, I enjoyed visiting with my client once a week. My primary role was to support and strengthen the care providers so that they might function better.

I also enjoyed supporting other team members by making caring calls to clients or their families. It was amazing how much comfort and reassurance I could bring to them through the calling service. My participation in the online bereavement group was my gain in the understanding and knowledge of the process in group work, particularly for grieving families. 

Through my time with Premier Hospice, I have grown to better appreciate the important role of leadership in the hospice setting. The internship was profitable to my professional growth and development.”

Katie

Premier Hospice Volunteer

Katie

“I volunteer with hospice to facilitate new transitions. In January 2020, I completed the training to become an End-of-Life Doula in New York City. In my move to Indianapolis, it was important for me to find a strong hospice program where I could be actively involved in the moments of life and death with others.

I volunteer because dying is an important cycle in every community. It is never easy to participate in the dying process, it pulls at every piece of your being. But there is nothing more rewarding than helping a patient or caregiver smile again while recalling a significant life moment. There is nothing more rewarding when the world feels burdensome, to help others find peace even for a single second.”

Thank You, Volunteers!

Thank you to these incredible individuals – and to all the volunteers on our team – for all you do for our patients and their families. You are amazing!

Interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities at CompassionCare Hospice? We’d love to have you on our team! Learn more and apply here.

banner that reads 'What Black History Month Means to Me' alongside portrait of Angelique

What Black History Month Means to Me

By: Angelique Riley

Meet Angelique

My name is Angelique Riley, and I have been at Grane Hospice Care, King of Prussia (an Abode Healthcare and BrightSpring Health Services company), for a little over two and a half years. I joined Grane after spending twenty years managing Life Enrichment in Continuing Care Retirement Centers. I found Life Enrichment rewarding, but it was time to hang up that hat and move on to another venture.

I chose to work in Hospice Care to share my natural gift of helping people during the most difficult time of their lives. I take pride in sharing compassion, support, and a great deal of care with our patients. It is a great honor to be spotlighted in our employee newsletter, and to share what Black History Month means to me.

What Black History Month Means to Angelique

Black History Month is an annual observance originating in the United States, where it is also known as African American History Month. It began as a way of remembering important people and events in the history of the African diaspora. Now that you have the Wikipedia definition of Black History Month; let me tell you what Black History Month really means…

Black History cannot be contained or limited to a single month. I grew up in a family where we honored and embraced our heritage year-round. My siblings and I were educated by our father on the rich history of African Americans. He taught us about inventors, writers, educators, musicians, and other notable Black figures.

It was important to my father that we had knowledge of our own history. We grew up as military children and were exposed to many different cultures and environments. My father prided himself in educating us on African American studies because he knew our schools and society, would more likely teach us an inaccurate version of our history, if they mentioned African Americans at all.

American schools teach students about Dr. Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, and the enslavement of African American people in the US. Those are important topics to cover, but that barely scrapes the surface of African American contributions to our society. Sparse lesson plans fail to mention the large numbers of African American scientists, physicians, attorneys, and professors who have made huge contributions to American progress.

A Personal Story

A quick funny story: When I was in World History Class my junior year in High School in Lawton, Oklahoma, the teacher presented a lecture about religion in the African American community. I remember cringing in my seat, my spirit stirred with frustration because the lesson was filled with errors about my history and my culture. I could not remain silent.

Each time that the teacher mispronounced a name, gave an inaccurate date, or worse, attributed an accomplishment to the wrong person, I spoke up and corrected him. After I contradicted him four or five times, the teacher grew so frustrated that he shouted,

DO YOU WANT TO TEACH THE CLASS?”. I rose to my feet and said, “Yes, I do”.

It did not end well for me that day. I was sent to the office immediately and punished with an In-House Suspension. Despite the repercussions, I never regretted what I did.

My experience confirmed my father’s prediction that the school was not going to teach the proper information on African American History. Since my father took the time to teach me, I knew my history and had the conviction to share it with my peers.

I shared this story to illustrate the importance of teaching African American History and embracing it as an ongoing celebration in the African American Community. I am grateful to see schools, businesses and the community recognize Black History.

Black Is Love

The month of February is a time to honor our ancestors and their hidden or overlooked contributions. It is also a time to reflect on the work still to be done.

Black History Month is a reminder that Black Is Love. I love being an African American woman and getting to reflect with others who are also proud to be African American. Black History Month is an invitation for others to join in the ongoing celebration of black excellence. It is unity in its highest form.

What Hispanic Heritage Means to Me

As the end of National Hispanic Heritage Month grows near, we are shining a spotlight on Director of Business Development, Nereida. We asked her what Hispanic heritage means to her. Thank you, Nereida, for sharing your story with us!

Nereida’s Story

Hispanic/Latin/LatinX heritage and culture, to me, means family.

I was raised with a large, loving family. Food, music, and family created a sense of warmth, love, and good times. At the center of it all, our matriarch, my Abuela Juana. She moved to the United States from Puerto Rico in the 60’s. She was always in the service of others. From being a social worker to a home health aide, she was love, selflessness, and caregiving exemplified.

I became a nurse because of her. After her stroke, I experienced first-hand the weight of not having advance care planning in place. 9 children, 46 grandchildren and 40 great-grandchildren had to come together to make decisions on her behalf.

After a long illness, she needed hospice. Seeing how hospice allowed us to be family and experiencing that gift, I was drawn to hospice after 19 years of nursing.

My passion, drive, advocacy, and love for hospice is fueled by the love for and from my Abuela. I am honored to carry on her legacy in the service of others while assisting people and families at a pivotal moment in their lives.

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