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HONOR OUR VETERANS…EVERY DAY!

“A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces, but also by the men it honors, the men it remembers.” — President John Kennedy, October 1963

Mt. Rose recognizes the importance of all veterans being honored. In providing the most comprehensive care for the whole person, Mt. Rose is proudly involved in the national project, We Honor Veterans that is guided by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. This recognition is particularly critical as we care for a group of elderly veterans that are coming to the end of a window of opportunity to be honored; something that may have been neglected or even denied in their earlier life. They put their lives on hold and answered their country’s call when it needed them most. So, while we can, we should make certain to honor them for saving the world from tyranny

A poignant story related by one of our patients illustrated this. 93-year-old Mr. V proudly wears his Korean Veteran hat. Recently as he was being helped into his vehicle in a local grocery store parking lot, a young man came over and saluted and said, “Thank you sir for your service”. It brought tears to the honored veteran’s eyes, and he related that he had NEVER been publicly acknowledged before. Such a simple gesture so profoundly appreciated.

Although we may work with older generations of veterans, we recognize that Veterans Day is about honoring the sacrifice of all men and women who proudly served in our armed forces. It’s a day for remembering that freedom isn’t free, and there are men and women who worked and fought to protect those freedoms and our beloved country. It’s a day to honor a tradition of service that ensures all Americans enjoy the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But it certainly should not be just one day we honor those who served; it should be part of our consciousness to happen every day.

“How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!” — Maya Angelou

Here are some suggestions from We Honor Veterans of how to make that happen:

• Give all Veterans an opportunity to tell their stories.
• Respect Veterans’ military service, their feelings, and any suggestions they might offer.
• Thank Veterans for their service to our country.
• Show appreciation for the families of Veterans.
• Always be sincere, caring, compassionate and ready and able to listen to what a Veteran or his or her family member has to share about the situation they are dealing with.
• Be supportive and non-judgmental and always validate their feelings and concerns.
• Be honest, sincere, caring, and respectful.
• Accept, without judgment, the Veteran as he/she is.

“It’s about how we treat our veterans every single day of the year. It’s about making sure they have the care they need and the benefits that they’ve earned when they come home. It’s about serving all of you as well as you’ve served the United States of America.”
— Barack Obama

VETERANS COME IN ALL SIZES, SHAPES, GENDER, & ETHNICITY. PLEASE GIVE RESPECT TO THEM ALL. THE PICTURE  IS OF WOMEN WARRIORS THAT CAME TO LA VETA FOR THE HUAJATOLLA HERITAGE FESTIVAL A COUPLE OF YEARS. ALL NATIVE AMERICAN WOMEN VETERANS.  I AM WORKING WITH THEM TO COME BACK FOR A VETERAN’S TRIBUTE SOMETIME IN THE SUMMER OF 2022.  THEY ARE AWESOME.