Improving Access to End-of-Life Care for Veterans

Many professionals working in end-of-life care might not realize that more than 50,000 veterans die each month; that’s roughly 28% of all deaths in the United States. Across the nation hospices and veterans facilities are working together to improve care for veterans at the end of life as part of the Veterans Administration Hospice and Palliative Care Initiative (VAHPC).

Hospice Veterans Partnership/VA 101 Toolkit

One of the programs launched by the VAHPC is the National Hospice Veteran Partnership (HVP) Program.  HVPs are coalitions of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities, community hospices, end-of-life care or community organizations and others, working together to ensure that excellent end-of-life care is available for our nation’s veterans and their families.There are no copyright restrictions or limitations on the distribution and use of the content of this Toolkit, though appropriate attribution is requested. The HVP/VA 101 Toolkit is a collection of documents and PowerPoint slide sets compiled to provide background information and resources for:

• HVP coalition start-up and maintenance, and
• speakers presenting on subjects related to end-of-life care for veterans. 

Military History Checklist for Hospice Patients
The Military History Checklist is designed to help community hospices identify their veteran patients, evaluate the impact of the experience and determine if there are benefits to which the veteran and surviving dependents may be entitled. This Guide provides a quick overview of the questions and implications for each. Additional information can be found in the Military History Toolkit and on the Department of Veterans Affairs Web site, www.va.gov.

• Military History Checklist Guide (PDF)
• Military History Checklist (PDF)

Helpful Resources for Working with Veterans

• Veteran Administration's Military Facts for Non-Military Social Workers (September 2006)
• Veteran Administration's Guide to Understanding the National Guard and Reserves (September 2006)
• Veteran Administration's Hospice-Veteran Partnership Fact Sheet (September 2006)
• VA Benefit Program Fact Sheets (VA)
• Fast Fact And Concept #152: The Military History as a Vehicle for Exploring End of Life Care with Veterans (EPERC)
• VA Transforms End-of-Life Care for Veterans– a brochure from the Department of Veterans Affairs and NHPCO

VA Hospice and Palliative Care Initiative

• America’s Veterans and VA Health System: Facts and Demographics
• NHPCO's Veterans Fact Sheet
• VA End-of-Life Care Projects and Resources
• Veteran's Statistics

Grants Awarded to Increase Access to Care for Rural and Homeless Veterans (02/25/09)

Additional Outreach Materials

Caring Connections, NHPCO's consumer education program provides information about: Advance Care Planning, Hospice and Palliative Care, Caregiving, Grief, and more. A number of Hospice Veterans Coalitions are using Caring Connections fact sheets and brochures in in their ongoing efforts to education communities about quality care and advance care planning. Visit Caring Connections at www.caringinfo.org for comprehensive information on end-of-life.

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