Group honors hospice

LAFAYETTE — The Hospice of Acadiana was recognized for the high level of care it provides veterans in the “We Honor Veterans” Program, the nonprofit hospice agency announced Wednesday.

The agency was recognized by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Louisiana-Mississippi Hospice and Palliative Care Organization as the only hospice in the Louisiana-Mississippi area and one of only 37 hospices in the United States that have attained a Level 4 status, according to a Hospice of Acadiana news release.

The honor given to the local hospice recognizes the high quality of care it offers to veterans, which includes the level of training its volunteers receive and the educational programs it offers to community organizations regarding veteran-specific health care issues.

We Honor Veterans, which provides hospice care agencies with training and resources, created by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and the VA to address the unique needs of dying veterans.

The Hospice of Acadiana has more than seven trained volunteers who work with the We Honor Veterans program.

“All hospices are serving veterans but often aren’t aware of that person’s service in the Armed Forces,” J. Donald Schumacher, NHPCO president and CEO, said. “Through We Honor Veterans, we are taking a giant step forward in helping hospice and palliative care providers understand and serve veterans at the end of life and work more effectively with VA medical facilities and organizations in their communities.”