Volunteers play an integral role in hospice’s interdisciplinary approach and are essential to providing quality care. We Honor Veterans (WHV) encourages partners to recruit and utilize volunteers to provide support, compassion, and companionship to Veteran patients. Depending on the individual volunteer’s interest, capacity, and past experience as well as community need, volunteers can support terminally-ill Veterans through a variety of available volunteer opportunities.
Veteran-to-Veteran Volunteers
Through the creation of Veteran Volunteer programs, WHV partners connect Veteran patients with Veteran volunteers. Veteran volunteers are uniquely able to support Veteran patients and create an atmosphere conducive to life review and healing. Veteran volunteers provide terminally-ill Veteran patients with unparalleled support and comradery. Are you a Veteran or service member interested in supporting Veterans in their final journey?
No Veteran Dies Alone
The “No Veteran Dies Alone” (NVDA) program is inspired by the program “No One Dies Alone,” and is designed to meet the needs of those Veterans who, for whatever reason, find themselves alone at the end of their lives. The NVDA program is operated by individual VA centers. Please note, this same type of volunteer program may have different names at different VA facilities and community hospice organizations.
Hospice Volunteering
Hospice volunteers are essential members of the hospice team. Medicare regulations require that hospices have trained volunteers as a part of the service they provide. Hospice volunteers may support their organization’s We Honor Veterans program by attending Veteran recognition ceremonies and creating a supportive presence for Veteran patients to share about their experience. Interested in volunteering for a hospice with a WHV program?
Other Volunteer Opportunities
In addition to WHV, other non-profit organizations also rely on volunteers to provide terminally-ill Veterans with meaning and comfort.
- Honor Flight: A non-profit organization created to honor America’s Veterans by transporting Veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit and reflect at their memorials. Learn more about volunteering with Honor Flight!
- Veteran’s Last Patrol: A non-profit that recruits and connects Veteran volunteers to hospice providers to ensure that a Veteran’s last patrol is not alone. Veterans Last Patrol can help with recruiting and motivating Veterans volunteers and offer assistance to improve practices for honoring Veteran patients. Learn more at www.veteranlastpatrol.org
- Quilts of Valor: A non-profit dedicated to covering service members and Veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor. Volunteers are core to achieving this mission. Learn more about volunteering with Quilts of Valor!
