VITAS® Healthcare Plans Virtual Memorial Day Services To Help Veterans' Loved Ones Cope With Loss

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May 18, 2020, 15:16 ET

MIAMI, May 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As Military Appreciation Month comes to a close, ongoing shelter-in-place orders and other COVID-19-related restrictions in many parts of the country have disrupted or canceled commemorative services and gatherings dedicated to the Memorial Day holiday. For those mourning a loss, these services traditionally provide needed outlets for complicated emotions and opportunities to heal among friends and family.

VITAS honors those who served America by serving veterans near the end of life. On Memorial Day this year, VITAS is offering Zoom services for grieving family members and caregivers whose lost loved one was a military veteran. For registration and details, visit VITAS.com/supportgroups.

This Memorial Day, VITAS Healthcare is offering memorial services via Zoom for family members and caregivers of veterans who have died.

VITAS Healthcare, the nation's leading provider of end-of-life care, is hosting two Memorial Day services via the Zoom teleconferencing platform to help those grieving the loss of a veteran find peace amid restrictions on public gatherings.

On May 25, Memorial Day, VITAS will offer Zoom services at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. EDT for grieving family members and caregivers whose lost loved one was a military veteran. Those interested can register online at VITAS.com/supportgroups.

Larry Robert, VITAS bereavement services manager, chaplain and a Navy veteran, will lead the online events.

"At VITAS, we recognize the difficult choices facing many families and caregivers who are grieving the loss of a veteran during the Memorial Day holiday. No one should have to choose between risking their health and missing the opportunity to honor a loved one," said Robin Fiorelli, senior director of bereavement and volunteer services at VITAS. "We're excited to offer a solution that meets the needs of our current moment without sacrificing any of the space, respect and reverence our nation's veterans are owed on this special day."

VITAS maintains an ongoing commitment to veterans and their families, showcased by the company's participation in We Honor Veterans, a special program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization in conjunction with the Department of Veteran Affairs. Under the program's guidance, VITAS trains staff and volunteers to identify veteran patients during the admissions process and provide hospice care that acknowledges and honors veterans' unique needs at the end of life.

VITAS also employs community and admission liaisons who specialize in veterans' issues–often as veterans themselves–connecting patients and their families with appropriate services, community resources, and hard-earned federal benefits.

For those who need help after the holiday, VITAS conducts remote bereavement support groups over the phone and teleconference platforms throughout the year.

About VITAS Healthcare
Established in 1978, VITAS Healthcare is a pioneer and leader in the American hospice movement. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, VITAS (pronounced VEE-tahs) operates 48 hospice programs in 14 states (California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin) and the District of Columbia. VITAS employs 12,262 professionals who care for patients with advanced illness daily, primarily in the patients' homes, and also in the company's 27 inpatient hospice units as well as in hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living communities/residential care facilities for the elderly. At the conclusion of the first quarter of 2020, VITAS reported an average daily census of 19,215. Visit www.vitas.com.