Covenant Hospice receives grant to increase access to hospice and palliative care for rural and homeless Veterans 

Pensacola, FL – Covenant Hospice recently received a “Reaching Out” grant from The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO). Funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the grants program is designed to increase access to hospice and palliative care services for rural and homeless Veterans.

Covenant Hospice was one of 18 community-based organizations across the nation to receive the grant. Covenant is working collaboratively with its own community partnerships on innovative programs that aim to provide care and services to veterans at the end of life. The grant will contribute funding to Covenant Hospice for nine months to not only support the success of individual programs, but to ultimately assist the VA in discovering new ways to reach homeless veterans and veterans living in rural areas.

Volunteers are needed to help Covenant Hospice reach and serve rural and homeless veterans. For more information please call Keelea LeJeune at 202-0353.

Many Americans are unaware that more than 50,000 veterans die each month; that’s roughly 28 percent of all deaths in the United States. Nearly 40 percent of enrolled veterans live in areas that are considered rural, where community hospices and VA palliative care programs are often not readily available. On any given night, more than 200,000 veterans are without shelter and lack basic healthcare. Ensuring that all veterans receive compassionate, quality care at the end-of-life is a priority of Covenant Hospice, NHPCO and the Department of Veterans Affairs Hospice and Palliative Care Program.

Hospice care is part of the basic eligibility package for veterans enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Hospice services also are covered by Medicare, Medicaid, most managed care organizations, private insurance plans, and HMOs. However, like majority of the American public, most veterans don’t know that these options exist. If you or someone you know has served in our nation’s military, please contact Covenant Hospice to learn more about Veteran’s rights and access to end-of-life care.