San Diego Veterans Get Support Through We Honor Veterans Partnership with Silverado Hospice

Partnership ensures resources for U.S. veterans as new hospice legislation goes into effect

United States veterans and active duty military personnel in San Diego have access to a myriad of resources as a result of a partnership between Silverado Hospice and We Honor Veterans – an innovative program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO).

The partnership serves San Diego’s large military population by addressing needs specific to veterans and their families. When a doctor refers a patient to Silverado Hospice San Diego, a military history checklist is completed by the social worker to document the individual’s military history. This process helps to identify specific needs as well as benefits the veteran may be eligible to receive. The team also uses the We Honor Veterans toolkit to better tailor patient care.

“We are honored to serve San Diego’s veteran population as a We Honor Veterans partner,” shares Silverado Hospice Vice President Michelle Pickering. “Sharing our expertise in partnership with organizations like NHPCO is part of a commitment we’ve made to address specific healthcare needs faced by the men and women who serve our country.” 

In addition to personalized care, Silverado participates in ongoing initiatives to provide resources to veterans and their families:

• Pinning Ceremonies – Veterans and their families participate in a pinning ceremony, during which a certificate, an American flag and a special pin help to honor and commemorate the veteran’s service.
• Veteran Resource Fairs – Silverado provides expertise by answering veteran-specific hospice questions and providing information about veteran benefits to military families at resource fairs in San Diego County.
• Staff Education Programs – Veteran-specific presentations are shared with Silverado clinical staff and volunteers.
• Hospice Veteran Partnership – Silverado participates in special events with several other hospice organizations to share best practices and to stay connected to Veterans Affairs medical centers.

Silverado’s involvement also inspired the company to get involved in other ways. Crystal Bettenhausen-Bubulka, a Master of Social Work intern from the University of Southern California (USC), is producing a documentary that highlights the role of hospice when serving veterans – due out in time for Memorial Day.

“Working on the We Honor Veterans program with the NHPCO has allowed me to utilize my training in military social work from USC to better serve our veterans at the end of life,” shares Bettenhausen-Bubulka. “Producing the documentary is one of the many unique opportunities I have had to help educate and inform others about the needs of those who have served in the U.S. Military.”

We Honor Veterans was developed in collaboration between NHPCO and the Department of Veterans Affairs to improve end-of-life care for all veterans. More information about the program is available at wehonorveterans.org.