Caring for Our Heroes

Hospice & Palliative Care for Veterans

The VA defines hospice and palliative care as a continuum of comfort-oriented and supportive services provided across settings, including hospital, extended care facility, outpatient clinic, and private residence. Hospice care is a covered service for veterans, authorized in the VA’s Medical Benefits Package on an equal priority with any other medical service. VA medical centers (VAMCs) must provide or purchase hospice care when the VA determines that an enrolled veteran needs it. VAMCs must also provide palliative care services through consultation teams that include a physician, nurses, social worker, and chaplain. Palliative care teams offer consultation throughout a medical center, assisting with planning and guidance on managing a patient’s pain and other symptoms, especially when these are complex or difficult to control.

Palliative Care is an interdisciplinary, team-oriented approach to expert pain and symptom management, offering emotional and spiritual support tailored to individual needs and wishes. Palliative Care is aimed at enhancing comfort and quality of life for patients with symptomatic chronic or serious illness and can be administered along with curative treatments.

Hospice, the most intensive form of palliative care, is provided to seriously ill patients who have less than six months to live and who have agreed to enroll in hospice services, rather than to pursue aggressive cures for their illness. Hospice focuses on comfort for both patients and loved ones, not a cure. 

Hospice Veterans Partnership

Hospice Buffalo is a proud member of the Hospice Veterans Partnership. Since 1978, Hospice Buffalo has cared for thousands of veterans in their home, assisted living residence or nursing facility. We work with the VA of Western New York Healthcare System, veteran service groups and community organizations to provide end-of-life care to our nation’s veterans and give support to their families.

Archives of Veterans’ Stories

 Flag Raising Ceremony - A Cadet's Story 

Every Memorial Day, Hospice Buffalo organizes a beautiful Flag Raising Ceremony for the staff, patients and family members to commemorate all the veterans who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. Commander Tony Deaville and his Student Cadets from WNY Maritime Charter School honor us with their presence. This year’s ceremony was truly touching and unforgettable – when they arrived, Cadet Mitchell Landon mentioned that his grandfather was a veteran patient in our Hospice Inpatient Unit. We hope you enjoy Mitchell’s story…

A Memorial Flag Raising Ceremony 

Western New York Maritime Charter School Honor Guard Cadet Mitchell Landon shares a touching story of our annual Flag Raising Ceremony featuring a very important person in his life. Read more

Vietnam Vets Praises Hospice Buffalo Team

Hospice Buffalo salutes Steve Beauchamp and the many soldiers who gave their all for our country’s freedoms. Through his personal story, and others like his, we can better understand the unique life experiences of veterans. 

A Letter from Veteran Don Dimmick

"Today was more interesting and meaningful than I had expected. I voted and then went in to volunteer with Buffalo Hospice. They had me visit 13 Veterans in the Hospice program and conduct a military Honors Ceremony for them as we are getting close to Veterans Day. Not all, but most of them did. It was simply an amazing experience. Read more

Cook at Pearl Harbor Proud to Serve

Hospice Buffalo salutes Wendall Squires and the many soldiers who gave their all for our country’s freedoms. Through his personal story, and others like his, we can better understand the unique life experiences of veterans.

Standing in the Face of Adversity — Waist Gunner Remembers Air Combat

Hospice Buffalo salutes Dave Stanfield and the many soldiers who gave their all for our country’s freedoms. Through his personal story, and others like his, we can better understand the unique life experiences of veterans. 

Naval Officer Veteran Shares His Story

Hospice Buffalo salutes Raymond Gibbons and the many soldiers who gave their all any soldier who gave his or her all for our country’s freedoms. Through his personal story, and others like his, we can better understand the unique life experiences of veterans.  

World War II Veteran in Hospice Buffalo Program Shares His Story

Hospice Buffalo salutes Frank Danch and the many soldiers who gave their all any soldier who gave his or her all for our country’s freedoms. Through his personal story, and others like his, we can better understand the unique life experiences of veterans.