Hospice of Franklin County Earns “We Honor Veterans” Partner Level Three

Hospice of Franklin County recently achieved Level Three as a national partner of We Honor Veterans, a pioneering campaign developed by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization in collaboration with the Department of Veteran Affairs. Achieving this level in the program required numerous Veteran-specific presentations and educational sessions for staff and volunteers. Only eight other hospice organizations within the state of Massachusetts share this distinction.

One quarter of all deaths in the US are Veterans. That is 1,800 people a day; more than 680,000 Veterans every year.

We Honor Veterans is a program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO). In collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the program invites hospices, state hospice organizations, Hospice-Veteran Partnerships and VA facilities to join a pioneering program focused on respectful inquiry, compassionate listening and grateful acknowledgment. By recognizing the unique needs of America’s Veterans and their families, community providers, in partnership with VA staff, will learn how to accompany and guide them through their life stories toward a more peaceful ending.

By recognizing the unique needs of our nation’s Veterans who are facing a life-limiting illness, hospice and palliative care providers will be able to accompany and guide America’s 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, providers will find tools to help support those they are caring for.

Thomas Edes, VA Director of Home and Community Based Care said, “The 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.”

Based on our team’s compassion and commitment to serving Veterans, Hospice of Franklin County is proud to be named a Level Three We Honor Veterans Partner. To learn more about We Honor Veterans please visit www.wehonorveterans.org.