Middlesex Hospital improves its veteran outreach

MIDDLETOWN » As part of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization’s We Honor Veterans program, Middlesex Hospital’s Hospice and Palliative Care Unit is committed to improving care for veterans by recognizing their unique needs for end-of-life care, according to a written statement from the hospital. The We Honor Veterans Program has four partner levels that represent different levels of commitment, and Middlesex recently achieved level two and is now striving to do more, officials said.

To achieve its level two status, Hospice and Palliative Care unit staff members learned about veterans’ benefits and service-related diseases, illnesses and conditions. Volunteers also learn about veterans during orientation, and new staff member are educated on the We Honor Veterans program.

In addition, representatives from the unit have presented to members of local chapters of the American Legion and Elks Club about We Honor Veterans participation and the Hospital’s hospice services.

As it strives to achieve each We Honor Veterans partner level, Middlesex continues to review how it identifies patients who are veterans. This includes auditing files and creating new techniques to ensure that no opportunity to provide optimum care for veterans is missed. It is also starting the Vet to Vet Program, which will pair hospice volunteers who are veterans with hospice patients who are also veterans. This allows veterans to receive support from someone who understands what they have lived through.