Cornerstone VNA recognized for their superlative care of veterans

The folks at Cornerstone VNA were all smiles upon learning of their recognition for their care of veterans. (Courtesy photo)

ROCHESTER - Cornerstone VNA, a nonprofit home health and hospice care provider, announced recently that its Hospice Care program has achieved Level 5 status with the We Honor Veterans program. This is the highest recognition level of the program. This special recognition is said to reflect Cornerstone VNA's deep commitment to ensuring veterans have access to quality end-of-life care.

According to We Honor Veterans, Cornerstone VNA is the only partner agency that has achieved Level 5 status in New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont. Maureen E. Steer MDiv, Holistic Disciplines Manager at Cornerstone VNA notes, "This honor is a reflection of the hard work that the entire team puts into ensuring our veterans are given the best level of care possible."

We Honor Veterans is a national hospice provider awareness campaign conducted by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs. As a We Honor Veterans Partner, Cornerstone VNA is better prepared to build organizational capacity to provide quality care for veterans and to strengthen partnerships with veteran organizations. In addition, Cornerstone VNA strives to increase access to hospice and palliative care for veterans living in the community and to network with other hospices across the country to learn about best practice models.

According to The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), Hospice programs can "earn their stars" and matching We Honor Veterans logo by completing activities for each of the five levels of commitment. This allows VA staff and veterans to easily identify hospices that have made a commitment to offer veteran-specific care and services provided by a competent and highly skilled workforce.

The NHPCO adds, "By recognizing the unique needs of America's Veterans and their families, community providers, in partnership with VA staff, will learn how to accompany and guide them through their life stories toward a more peaceful ending." To maintain Level 5 status, a Hospice is required to recertify on a yearly basis.

According to Julie Reynolds, Cornerstone VNA CEO, "We are privileged to honor veterans and their family members, and to express our gratitude to them for their gallantry and service at the end of their lives." As a We Honor Veterans Partner, Cornerstone VNA is proud to give veterans a helping hand and the support they need at end-of-life.

For more information about the We Honor Veterans program at Cornerstone VNA, contact Maureen E. Steer MDiv, Holistic Disciplines Manager, (603) 332-1133 x1152 or msteer@cornerstonevna.org.

Cornerstone VNA currently serves Rockingham, Strafford, Belknap and Carroll Counties in New Hampshire and York County in Maine. The team at Cornerstone VNA provides award-winning care and support through five distinct programs: Home Care, Hospice Care, Palliative Care, Life Care-Private Duty and Community Care. For 110 years, Cornerstone VNA has been committed to bringing services to people of all ages so that families can stay together at home, even when facing the challenges of aging, surgical recovery, chronic or life-threatening illnesses or end-of-life care. To learn more about Cornerstone VNA, visit www.cornerstonevna.org or call 800-691-1133.