November 9, 2022
Contact: Dana Casadei, Media Relations Specialist
734.521.0477, dcasadei@angelahospice.us
PRESS RELEASE
It only takes a moment to recognize a veteran and all he has done for this country.
At Angela Hospice, that moment recurs again and again with their We Honor Veterans program, which recently hit a new milestone by reaching Level 4.
According to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), achieving Level 4 means you are providing the highest level of care to your veterans, focusing on all of a veteran’s needs, emotional and spiritual, and connecting them veteran to veteran. Emphasis is placed on educating not only staff and volunteers, but also the community.
“It’s a really, really big honor,” said Teri Schmitchen, director of Integrative Therapies and Volunteer Services at Angela Hospice and president of We Honor Veterans. “I hold a deep place in my heart for veterans and the respect they deserve for the sacrifices they have made.
So does Angela Hospice, where their We Honor Veterans chapter began nearly a decade ago, run by volunteer John Stern and his late wife, Lucy.
“It was a great honor to walk alongside him,” Schmitchen said.
Although Angela Hospice’s group has reached Level 4, it will continue to do what it does best, ensuring that every veteran who receives Angela Hospice’s care is recognized in a culture that embodies respect. and the dignity of veterans.
Every veteran admitted to the care of Angela Hospice is offered a chance to be recognized at a We Honor Veterans pinning ceremony, where they receive two pins; a letter of thanks, which is read aloud, accompanied by a poem; and a homemade blanket by Angela Hospice volunteers. It’s a nice way to say thank you to those who aren’t always thanked for their service.
“The interaction with veterans, their families and loved ones…it still gives me goosebumps every time I do a pin. It’s such a wonderful feeling,” said Stern, who is also an Air Force veteran. “This is a wonderful opportunity for us to be able to thank veterans for their service.
Since the inception of Angela Hospice’s We Honor Veterans program, they have served thousands of veterans in all branches of the military.
On Veterans Day this year, Angela Hospice will go the extra mile to ensure veterans feel cared for, appreciated and recognized for all they have done. Veterans in Angela’s care will receive a gift bag, thank you note, and patriotic socks to keep their feet warm through the coming winter.
We Honor Veterans is a program developed by NHPCO in conjunction with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Angela Hospice is currently working towards achieving level 5, which they hope to achieve next year.
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