San Diego Hospice Launches “VETERANS MATTER” Outreach Program

Editor’s Note: The following is a news release from SDHIPM. 

Demonstrating its ongoing commitment to veterans and their special needs at end of life, San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine formally launched its new VETERANS MATTER Outreach Program with a ceremony on Friday, January 27 attended by military and veterans representatives, elected and community officials, family members, and San Diego Hospice staff, board members and supporters.

Highlights of the ceremony included the pinning of San Diego Hospice patient Jim Evans, a World War II veteran and Purple Heart recipient who has benefitted from San Diego Hospice care for nearly a year; and presentations to family members of veteran Manuel Huerta, who passed away while in the care of San Diego Hospice. 

Legislators including Congressman Bob Filner, State Senator Christine Kehoe, City Councilmembers Todd Gloria and Carl DeMaio, and District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, along with aides from the offices of Congressmembers Duncan Hunter, Susan Davis and Brian Bilbray and Assemblymember Nathan Fletcher were present to support San Diego Hospice’s work with veterans and share remarks about the importance of honoring veterans at every stage of live, including at the end of life. Many have personal family experiences with San Diego Hospice care and services.

 “Our new VETERANS MATTER Outreach Program recognizes those who have done our country a great honor, by allowing us to honor them with great care,” said Kathleen Pacurar, CEO of San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine. 

San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine has always had the philosophy of respecting and honoring patients’ cultures, traditions and beliefs. The new VETERANS MATTER outreach program recognizes those who have served our country by providing service recognition to veterans who come into San Diego Hospice care.

The program operates in conjunction with the national We Honor Veterans movement sponsored by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and Veterans Affairs, which provides training to hospices in areas related to veterans’ experiences and needs specific to wars and trauma, military culture, mental health issues, and benefits as well as provide additional recognition for veterans on their service. 

San Diego Hospice has enhanced the skills of its staff and volunteers through this educational effort. Volunteers are also needed for the “Vet-to-Vet” program, which pairs military veteran patient care volunteers with military veteran patients. For additional information, including volunteer and donation opportunities, please visit the San Diego HospiceVETERANS MATTER webpage.

About San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine

San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine is one of the largest community-owned, not-for-profit hospices in the country. The organization brings compassionate, expert medical care to nearly 1,200 seriously ill adults and children each day throughout the county, as well as professional grief and loss support to more than 12,000 individuals each year. More information is available online at www.sdhospice.org or call toll-free: 1-866-688-1600. Join our online communities on Facebook,Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.

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