The FAMCare Blog

There are more than 20 million veterans in our country, and more than half of them are over age 65. While about 1,800 veterans die each day, few receive hospice care at end of their life. Social workers remind us that veterans have specific needs due to their time in service that hospice teams are specifically trained to address. While many veterans suffer chronic pain, presumptive disease, and traumatic injuries, a wider range of issues and concerns may also exist that may complicate end of life for veterans:

• PTSD (which may not surface until this point in life)
• Anxiety
• Traumatic grief
• Depression
• Survival guilt
• Troubling memories resurface.
• Reluctance to seek help for pain causes many to reject hospice care because they feel they need to be stoic and “fight on.”
• Anger due to pain, injury, or illness caused by war.
• Psychological issues of guilt, shame, or need for forgiveness and understanding due to having participated in war.

The US Government Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) partnered with Google last year to increase Veterans' access to services and data. This initiative was hailed as an achievement in a sector that, at times, seemed hesitant to fully embrace technology. 

However, VA's program delivered a clear message: the US government and non-profit sector serving former military personnel are ready to begin on a digital journey. One with numerous benefits for veterans and the opportunity for improvement in veteran case management. 

Another component that has recently acquired traction among government and private non-profit organizations is the gathering and analyzation of data for veteran services. Veteran services caseworkers realize the value in leveraging data's power to improve their services, and many organizations are eager to invest in data analytic technologies.

Let's look into the seeming simple but huge impact data driven analytics can change the way veteran service organizations operate.  

According to Department of Veterans Affairs estimates, there are more than a hundred registered veteran service organizations in the United States. These social service organizations have assisted numerous former veterans and their families by providing services to this distinguished group. 

However, as the number of veterans continues to rise, these non-profits are becoming overburdened. Veteran services are in desperate need of reforms to continue serving millions of former military personnel and families. 

On any given night, approximately 553,742 people in the United States are homeless, according to national data. And around 38,000 of these are veterans. This means that veterans account for approximately 8% of the total homeless population.

This is a sad state of affairs, given that these people have spent a significant portion of their lives serving the country, only to find themselves homeless on the same country's streets.

Men, women, and people of all races and backgrounds are among the homeless veterans who have given their best year to this country. So, why are they homeless during their most vulnerable years?

The week before Memorial Day I traveled to Washington D.C. to visit the monuments to our nation's military veterans. The vast Arlington National Cemetery, the profound Lincoln memorial inscribed with his immortal reflections on war and nation, the noble World War II memorial, the Freedom is Not Free advisory on the Korean War Memorial and, finally, the touching and humble Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

While serving their country, military personnel may encounter a variety of terrifying situation. Thousands of veterans have been left scarred by their experiences, leading to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Veteran's PTSD is a significant challenge and a serious issue, but many retired military personnel and their families are unaware of the diagnosis or where to seek treatment. Because PTSD has an impact on mental health and can be hidden, health professionals and other may find it difficult to assess its severity.

Let’s look at some tips and suggestions for assisting veterans and their families who are dealing with PTSD.

Serving your country always comes at a cost, and the brave men and women who serve are well aware of this. Currently, there are nearly 18 million veterans in the United States. Most, if not all, of them report dealing with a variety of mental health issues. Veterans make up a sizable proportion of patients receiving treatment in the country. Regardless, many of them never receive the necessary counseling and assistance for their mental health issues. To assist veterans in overcoming their problems, let us first learn about the most common mental health concerns for veterans.

There are currently over 17 million veterans in the US. Furthermore, far too many veterans in the United States are homeless. Veterans account for nearly one-fifth of all homeless people in the United States. Many NGOs, non-governmental organizations, and not-for-profit organizations have made a commitment to serving veterans. This includes assisting them with financial, physical, and emotional requirements.

Here are some ways NGOs assist the many homeless veterans in the United States.

PTSD is a disorder in which a person has difficulty recovering after experiencing or witnessing a terrifying event. The condition may last months or years, with triggers that can bring back memories of the trauma accompanied by intense emotional and physical reactions.

Since reporting on the VA hospital scandals that plagued the Veteran’s Administration, this blog checks in with the VA healthcare system every year to report any improvements. This year, rather than rating the system based on metrics used to measure service efficiency, 2,400 veterans were asked about the care they were receiving at the VA hospitals.