Hospice of Palm Beach County Honors Veterans

In honor of National Hospice Month, Hospice of Palm Beach County would like to take this opportunity to recognize veterans and their sacrifice and service to this great country. Hospice of Palm Beach County understands the unique needs that veterans require at the end of their lives. For more than thirty years and with over 900 professionals and 600 volunteers, they have assisted veterans and their families by providing the guidance, comfort and day-to-day support they deserve.

A prime example is the story of Louis V. Pattison, a veteran who served in the First Division of the Marine Corps. He needed help. He wasn’t able to care for himself alone at home and his immediate family, his daughter and granddaughter, did not live in the area. Louis ended up in a hospital and that’s when a doctor suggested hospice.

However, there was a problem. Louis had never accessed the VA benefit services system, and now when he needed those benefits the most, he wasn’t sure what to do. Louis and his family soon realized that certain information was required to get into the system, but Louis’ memory had begun to fail him and he couldn’t recall where that information could be accessed.

That’s when David Clark, a licensed clinical social worker at Hospice of Palm Beach County, stepped in. David went step-by-step, covering every last detail with Louis until they obtained all the information needed. He even found the discharge papers that Louis required. David worked quickly, filling out all the necessary paperwork and personally delivered it to the VA enrollment office.

“I knew Louis needed those benefits in a hurry, so I decided to hand deliver them in order to save valuable time,” remarked David. By helping Louis and his family with the process in a timely manner, he is now eligible to receive the benefits he deserves and the proper care he earned through his valuable service to our country.

(l-r) Louis Pattison and David Clark

As an added bonus, Louis’ daughter and granddaughter have decided to move into his old home so they can be closer to him. “It really worked out well for everyone in the family,” said David. “They now have the opportunity to keep his home in the family and the ability to visit and share their time with him more often because they are nearby.”

David Clark is just another example of how Hospice of Palm Beach County does whatever it takes to provide the special care that patients need to improve their quality of life. Hospice of Palm Beach County communicates directly with the VA to assist the patient with enrollment in the benefit program. Staff is also trained to handle and identify with veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, suicide and other military related illnesses. Hospice of Palm Beach County bereavement programs focus on life-changing situations and are available to veterans and the entire community. Community outreach initiatives inform and educate our community and healthcare partners, so the whole team is working as a single unit for veterans and their families.

A “Salute to Veterans” ceremony was held November 6th to celebrate Hospice of Palm Beach County patients, staff and volunteers who have served our country. The tribute included a parade of colors by the color guard of William T. Dwyer High School; welcome by David Ralicki, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Navy veteran; remarks by Rabbi Sherman, a Veteran and former Military Chaplain; an invocation by Chuck David, Chaplain for Hospice of Palm Beach County; the Benediction by Rabbi Wender, Hospice Rabbinical Coordinator, and a presentation by Dave Fielding, President and CEO to Captain Serena Chetta, Silver Team Supervisor, who then presented flag pins to veterans attending the ceremony.