Pathways Hospice, Community Care for Northern Colorado
Program for Military Veterans
(continued from page 1)
patient with a veteran volunteer
who provides companionship and
support
• reation of an on-site Veteran’s
C
Garden featuring an American flag
to recognize all military veterans
By recognizing that veterans who face
a life-limiting illness may have unique
Peace at Last
by Deborah L. Grassman
Reviewed by Patty Nichols,
Clinical Records Lead at
Pathways Hospice and
military family member
A must read for anyone caring for
a veteran at the end of life, Peace
at Last brings enlightenment to
their journey. Whether you are
part of the core care team, a
caregiver, a family member or a
volunteer, Karen brings forth a
guide to understanding veterans
and how many factors may affect
them at the end of life. Karen
has extensive insight into helping
veterans deal with issues that
are unique to them and she has
shared those with us in Peace
at Last. The greatest lesson I
took away was this beautiful
statement, “We heal our nation
one soldier at a time… one
gratitude at a time… one apology
at a time.”
2
needs, we will be better able to
support and guide those veterans and
their families toward a more peaceful
ending. We are proud to partner with
NHPCO, the Veteran’s Administration
and many other local agencies to
ensure that all veterans receive
loving, quality care.
Families Participate in Creating
Memorials for Loved Ones
As a way of
remembering loved
ones and providing
support for Pathways
Hospice programs
and services,
families frequently
request donations
to be made in our
behalf. Often, as
a tangible way of
honoring their loved
one, families will
use these gifts to
install a brick or
leaf, inscribed with
the person’s name,
in our Pathways
Memory Garden or on
the Pathways Memorial Tree.
Kathryn Blehinger at the Memorial Tree
For our patients who have died at
the Pathways Hospice Care Center,
we have “planted” Memorial Trees.
The trees are located at the Care
Center, on the third floor of McKee
Medical Center in Loveland. Any
loved one can be remembered through
the installation of a brick in the
Pathways Memory Garden located
at our main office in Fort Collins.
Families are invited to participate
in the installation of a leaf or brick.
For more information about these
memorial programs, please call Kathy
Anderson, Community Relations
Representative, at (970) 663-3500.