No vet dies alone
VA hospice program offers end-of-life care
Navy veteran Robert Wilcox says it was “the best decision of his life” to place his father in hospice care at the Capt. James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago. His elderly father, an Army lieutenant colonel with more than 20 years of service, had been living at home but had been getting weaker and weaker. After a two week stay in the hospital, Wilcox transferred his father to the North Chicago veterans hospital complex where he was soon cleared to receive endof-life hospice care.
“My father was treated like a king,” says Wilcox. When he couldn’t be there, someone stayed with his father around the clock. Wilcox says the staff was phenomenal, providing expert care as well as regular updates on his father’s condition.
When the time came, the family was alerted and given the opportunity to say their good-byes. After passing, his father was carefully covered in patriotic sheets in a ceremony called the “Final Salute.” Taps played as the family and staff gathered to pay respect. “It was a profound moment,” says Wilcox. “They truly honored my father.”
Sometimes overlooked, hospice care provides emotional and physical comfort at the end of life. Unlike traditional medical care that aims to cure an illness, hospice care is meant for those nearing death. The goal is to relive pain and offer the highest quality of life possible for whatever time remains.
Hospice care is available for veterans at major health care centers operated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Besides the Lovell Health Center, veterans and their families can find local hospice care at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital in Maywood, and the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago. Vet centers located throughout the area and northwest Indiana can also link veterans to services.
“We pride ourselves on our fully integrated health system for veterans,” says Dr. Robert Buckley, director of the Capt. James A. Lovell Health Care Center. He adds that the “Final Salute” ceremony is provided to veterans who pass away at a VA health care facility. Another special program is “No Veteran Dies Alone” in which volunteers stay with veterans at the end of life.
Readily available
Veterans can receive hospice care wherever they live. Hospice services can be provided at home, or at a VA-approved
nursing home. In-patient hospice units are also available at the Lovell Health Care Center and at the Hines VA Hospital.
Many hospice patients come directly from veterans hospitals.
At Hines VA Hospital, the 13bed hospice unit is located in the community living center on the campus where veterans receive a skilled nursing level of care. The Hines hospice unit, called Serenity Place, has been operating for about 10 years.
“Serenity Place is a homelike environment,” says Jennifer Heise, nurse practitioner at Hines VA Hospital. Families are welcome to visit. “Veterans get a lot of extra TLC,” she adds.
Eligible veterans can also receive palliative care. It provides relief from pain and other symptoms of disease to improve the quality of life. But it is not tied to a timeline for the end of life. Patients can receive palliative care at the time a disease is diagnosed.
“Veterans have a lot of options,” says Claire Kirst, assistant clinical nurse manager at Hines VA Hospital.
Ease suffering
Hospice care has been shown to help those suffering from terminal illnesses as well as their families. “We guide veterans and their families through the process,” says Anna Abraham, hospice care coordinator at the Lovell Health Care Center.
Counselors and social workers are typically available to define goals in all areas of a patient’s life. Additional support services address the physical, emotional, spiritual and social concerns of the patient. Emotional support is also available for families, including respite care which gives family caregivers time off when they need a break.
For those veterans who receive hospice care at home, they can expect regular visits from a hospice nurse several times a week. The nurse will assess the patient and make sure the patient and family have the equipment and medications they need. They also provide education and support to the family.
A nurse’s aide visits to provide other services. A chaplain and social worker also visit. The hospice agency supplies a bed, and medications. Some veterans can qualify for homemaker services, depending on their need, to provide a few extra hours of caregiving services, according to Heise at Hines VA Hospital.
Hospice benefits for veterans do not depend upon on a service-related condition. It is available to all veterans who qualify.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website (va.gov) includes detailed information on how to access hospice care benefits. It’s important to note that veterans must be registered with the VA in order to qualify for benefits.
Veteran Wilcox, who served from 1972 to 1976, just recently decided to register with the VA. “My experience with my father made me a believer,” he says.
Unlike traditional medical care that aims to cure an illness, hospice care is meant for those nearing death. The goal is to relive pain and offer the highest quality of life possible for whatever time remains.