We Honor Veterans
Among all Americans who have reached the end of their lives, one out of four is a veteran. Pathways honors our veteran patients by giving these brave military men and women the final recognition they deserve for service to their country.
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Pathways' Vet-to-Vet program pairs veteran hospice patients with volunteer veterans who are able to establish deep and meaningful connections through shared military experiences. These volunteers visit patients at the bedside to provide emotional support and companionship during this important time of life.
Our Veteran's Recognition Program also offers each veteran patient an individual recognition ceremony upon admission to hospice, as well as for Veteran's Day. These ceremonies are conducted at the bedside by veteran volunteers.
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Pathways is a proud member of the We Honor Veterans partnership between the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) and the Veteran's Administration, an alliance created to assist hospice professionals in meeting the end-of-life needs of veterans. Because we recognize the unique issues that veterans may face, we provide ongoing education for our patient care teams and volunteers about how to provide the best care possible for our veteran hospice patients.
Jeff Chapin, Our Vet-to-Vet Volunteer Ambassador
Pathways is honored to have a hero among us who serves as a Vet-to-Vet volunteer as well as our Veteran Ambassador. Retired Army veteran Jeff Chapin plays an intergral role in planning our veterans ceremonies to ensure the military code is respected. He also leads our veteran recognition ceremonies at the bedside, and trains other veterans to do the same. Jeff was honored as the "Hospice Volunteer of the Year" in 2013 by the Missouri Hospice and Palliative Care Association for his vision and creation of the Vet-to-Vet Volunteer Program at Pathways.
Jeremiah Gibbs, Gunnery Sgt. U.S. Marine Corps, shares his heartfelt story of his experience as a Vet-to-Vet volunteer with Pathways...
I volunteer to visit with veterans because the Marines-and I'm sure most of the other branches as well-hold a long history of taking care of each other. I had Marines take care of me during my thirteen years, whether we were on a mission in Iraq or simply a group of Marines out in town having fun. Being able to just visit with these men and women and hear some of their stories allows their legacy to continue on. It's truly an honor to continue to serve my fellow veterans, even though my time in uniform has come to an end.