Barriers to Hospice Care for Veterans With Serious Illness
Did you know 1 in 4 deaths in the U.S. is a veteran? According to recent estimates, less than 15% of veterans use the Department of Veterans Affairs for any of their healthcare. So why are so few veterans reaching out?
After speaking with many veterans, both on hospice and in the general community, this is what we heard:
- “Someone else has it worse than me, who am I to complain?”
- “Someone else could use the help.”
- “I’m fine, it’s not that bad.”
Our veterans have seen atrocities most of us can’t bare to think about. Some have had to do things to survive that they never want to speak of again. They return from war changed, some are able to integrate back into a new routine. As a result of war, many veterans suffer from a variety of ailments including: PTSD, depression, anxiety, traumatic brain injury, cancer, and Parkinson’s disease, among other things.
So what happens to our veterans with serious illness? How do we show them the dignity they deserve when there is some resistance to seeking help?
In the past several years the VA has initiated several outreach activities and programs to try and address this. As a result of this, veteran use of hospice services has started to increase.
Veterans enrolled in hospice have support for themselves and their family. The 24/7 availability of hospice helps veterans avoid unnecessary hospitalizations, allowing them to be cared for in the comfort of their own home. In addition to the hospice team’s support, the VA has several other benefits available to veterans including caregiving, funeral/burial assistance, and coverage for many medications.
For more information on VA home care services, please visit:
VA benefits for service members
For those with serious illness who prefer to be cared for wherever they consider home, the VA contracts with local home care providers, including LifeChoice. Our Service areas including Lake, McHenry, Cook counties in Illinois.
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