Caring for Veterans with Specialized Hospice and Palliative Care Services

Military veterans have life experiences that require a unique approach to hospice and palliative care. With more than 50% of veterans age 65 and older in the U.S., caring for the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of this special population should be a priority.

Whether they served in active combat or in a support role, veterans are disproportionally affected by mental health disorders and traumatic brain injury compared to nonveterans. They are also at a higher risk of health problems from exposure to chemical, physical and environmental hazards during service. In fact, 4.7 million veterans have a service-related disability and more veterans (65.6%) experience chronic pain than nonveterans (56.4%).

Serving those who served us

On Veterans Day – November 11 – and every day, it is important to recognize and honor the brave service members and their loved ones who sacrificed to protect our country. One way to do this is to provide comfort, compassion and personalized care that focuses on improving their quality of life.

Charter Healthcare is committed to providing specialized services for veteran patients. Many Charter locations are currently working towards certification with We Honor Veterans, a program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that focuses on respectful inquiry, compassionate listening and grateful acknowledgment of veterans.

What are hospice and palliative care?

Hospice is a philosophy of care that can be provided in a facility or wherever the patient calls home. A multidisciplinary team provides comprehensive medical, emotional and spiritual care that offers comfort and support to patients and their families when an illness isn’t improving from treatment or when a patient chooses not to pursue curative therapies. Palliative care provides relief from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness and can accompany curative treatment. Charter recognizes that veterans have unique backgrounds that can impact their overall care. Pursuing certification through the We Honor Veterans program allows Charter to continue pairing veteran patients with specially trained care staff who are familiar with their needs.

Entrusting your care to us

We are honored to provide varying levels of care for former service members. We specialize in guiding veterans and their families through their post-acute care journey and promoting a peaceful end of life and bereavement process.

Charter Healthcare provides:

· Streamlined referral and admission process

· Familiarity with the VA system and help with identifying and accessing benefits

· Coordination of care with the local VA medical center, including joint visits

· VA caregiver support

Contact a care coordinator at your nearest Charter location to learn more about our services.