Veterans Helping Veterans with Hospice of the Western Reserve

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Veterans who are volunteers are assigned to patients who are also veterans to provide social support. This is usually done by phone calls but in some instances may be done by video chat. We like to pair people from the same branch/type of service/or war time service if possible.

Provide veteran to veteran companionship and support via conversation, reminiscence, listening, validation, and presence.

Volunteers will conduct volunteer recognition ceremonies. Veteran volunteers receive training on how to conduct a ceremony. Some times they are more elaborate and sometimes they are simpler, depending on family preference.

Volunteers should be an active duty service person or Veteran branch of the Military, including the National Guard. Hospice and palliative care patients who have served in the military will be the recipients of these volunteer efforts. There are often things that Veterans do not feel comfortable sharing with their family, and it is nice to have someone else to talk to who has also served. Having a Veteran perform the Veteran Recognition Ceremony is more meaningful.