More than 54,000 Veterans Die Each Month and Hospices are Reaching Out

An op-ed from National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization

More than 1,800 Veterans die every day in this country—that’s about 54,000 people a month, reports the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. Dying Veterans represent a quarter of all deaths in the U.S. These Veterans are our family members, neighbors, friends, and co-workers, yet many Americans aren’t aware of the service these loved ones have given to the nation.

November 11 is Veterans Day, a time to pay tribute to the brave men and women who have served our country. The active duty of our military personnel across the globe has brought increasing awareness of the price these men and women often pay. This national awareness should include care and support to help dying Veterans live as fully as possible during their final days, long after their military service may have ended.

Hospices and palliative care providers are actively doing this with the assistance of the Veterans Administration Hospice and Palliative Care Initiative (VAHPCI) and organizations such as NHPCO.  These organizations are working together to enhance and strengthen relationships between VA and non-VA health care organizations that care for people at the end of life.   And the number of Veterans needing care is growing.

The VAHPCI reports that more than 4.2 million people received care in VA health care facilities in 2001; this represents an 11 percent increase from the previous year. And the number of older Veterans is growing rapidly. Veterans age 75 and older will increase by 12 percent by the year 2010, and veterans 85 years and older will triple during that same period.

Yet, only four percent of Veterans die in VA facilities. These men and women, 54,000 a month, are dying in the homes and communities in which they live. Hospices are providing a critical link in the care of these Veterans.  Hospices bring care and support to where the patient needs it—that may be home, a nursing home, assisted living facility, or hospice residence.  Many VA medical centers also have hospice services.

Through the VA Hospice and Palliative Care Initiative and NHPCO outreach efforts, health care providers are learning to understand the unique needs of American Veterans.

“Hospices are caring for many veterans, particularly those who fought in World War II, and we are finding that these individuals have a range of issues that they need help in coming to terms with as they approach death,” remarked J. Donald Schumacher, NHPCO president and CEO. “Hospices can play an important role in helping these Americans find peace and the compassionate care they deserve.”

In the past year, NHPCO has awarded grants to ten state hospice and palliative care organizations to increase outreach and help educate veterans about care options. 

The Honorable Anthony J. Principi, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Department of Veterans Affairs, was named the 2004 NHPCO Person of the Year.   Secretary Principi was honored for his work leading the Department of Veterans Affairs Hospice and Palliative Care Initiative, a national program launched in 2002.

“The comprehensive programs we have in the Department of Veterans Affairs and the skilled palliative services we offer are among the most personally gratifying achievements in my tenure as secretary," said Mr.Principi at September’s award ceremony held in Washington, DC.

Increasing access and education among veterans and providing them with more choices regarding care during the final phase of their lives is critical.

As neighbors, friends, and family members, there is a role every American can play to improve care, suggests NHPCO. If you know a veteran who is in need of the special care hospice provides, serve them by reaching out and helping them learn more about hospice. Contact NHPCO for information about hospice at www.caringinfo.org or by calling 1-800-658-8898.

“Honoring our nation’s veterans includes supporting them throughout their lives, even at life’s end when it may not be as easily done,” Schumacher commented.

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