Caring for a wounded veteran can be a very surreal and eye opening experience. There may not be much preparation time between the injury and the day that your loved one arrives home, so it’s a good idea to prepare mentally and emotionally. For many, the transition can be extremely sudden and make caregivers feel overwhelmed at their newfound responsibility. The best tool to use against this stress is preparation. By remembering these tips, you can ensure that you are able to give your veteran the care that they deserve while maintaining a healthy balance for yourself.

-       Keep a checklist handy. Part of feeling overwhelmed comes from getting behind in your daily to do list.  In this way, you can be sure that your veteran is getting consistent care each day and that you are on top of your daily activities.

-       Allowing your veteran to be as independent as possible will help them to realize they are still valuable

-       Realize that they have sacrificed their bodies in the name of freedom and try to be as understanding as possible during these trying times

-       Accept help from others. Managing your own life is hectic enough, but attempting to give advanced care on top of that can be impossible. Many times your friends and family are eager to help and are just waiting for you to ask them. Something as simple as an extra meal or picking your children up from school can be a big help.

-       Take breaks often. It’s not selfish to want/ need time for yourself. Even a 10 minute walk or a quick nap can help to regain balance and reduce daily stress.

-       Think ahead and work with your rehabilitation specialists to better understand the recovery process and benchmarks

-       Get creative. There are probably several sports or activities that your wounded warrior might not be able to participate in, but that doesn’t mean that they cannot try out new activities that they may enjoy.

-       Help your veteran connect with other wounded warriors. Whether online or in the community, it’s important for your loved one to realize that they are not alone in their struggles.

-       Understand that it’s ok to get professional help. Depending on the severity of the injury that your veteran has sustained, you may not be able to provide the level of care that they require. Asking for outside help does not mean you do not love them, it means you care enough about them to ensure that their needs are met.

We don’t always know what tomorrow holds and we can’t fix everything, but we can prepare for the future and give care to those who gave their all.

Homelessness affects 1% of the entire US population or 10% of the poor.  Surprisingly, one third of all homeless adults are veterans.  America’s homeless veterans have served in World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam War, Grenada, Panama, Lebanon, Afghanistan and Iraq. Nearly half of all homeless veterans served in Vietnam.  Surprisingly 56% of homeless veterans are African American or Hispanic, despite making up less than 30% of the general population.

Homelessness is defined by the “McKinney Act” as anyone who lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence or whose residence is either a shelter, temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized, or a public or private place not ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.

Now that we understand the facts behind homelessness, we can take a look at why they are homeless and what can be done to help.

Homelessness occurs across the general population due to an extreme shortage of affordable housing, livable income and access to affordable healthcare. These factors combined with the fact that many veterans must deal with PTSD on a regular basis increase their risk of homelessness. Though Veteran Affair is helping to tackle the issue; they are only able to extend their efforts to about half of the population.

So that’s the bad news, the good news is that you can make a difference.  Contact your local elected officials to discuss what’s being done for homeless veterans in your area.  Search the NCHV database http://nchv.org/network.cfm to find local programs that support veterans in your area. If you aren’t able to donate your time, monetary donations are always welcome at local and national organizations. They fought for us when it mattered most, now we can do our part to make a difference.

It may sound surprising, but a striking number of veterans are unemployed after they return from service. As of the 2010 census, 21.9% of young veterans (who served in either Iraq or Afghanistan) were unemployed. While these numbers may seem disheartening, the department of defense has recently started a campaign to tackle the issue.

A new initiative in Washington charged with making jobs in the health care industry available to the more than 10,000 wounded veterans in the United States who transition from the military to civilian workforce began last month. Senior government officials, military leaders, and health care representatives met at the 2011 Hero Health Hire Employment Summit to discuss recruiting practices, support for wounded vets, best practices, challenges for those transitioning into the civilian workforce, and future steps involved in instituting hiring processes.

Magellan Health Services, the company responsible for initiating Hero Health Hire wants to encourage health care employers to recruit wounded veterans and provide a work place in which their skills can be most beneficial.  The veteran’s initiative offers a mentoring program that helps candidates succeed at their jobs as well as attending to issues related to their injuries. Injuries requiring extra attention such as PTSD and traumatic brain injuries are most common among veterans transitioning to the civilian workforce.

More than 25 different health care companies participated in the 2011 HHHES to discuss employment opportunities. As some of the largest health care companies in the nation, they employ more than 300,000 employees and serve tens of millions of patients, customers and members.

The health care industry, which includes insurers, pharmaceutical companies, device manufacturers, health plans and hospital networks– is one of the fastest growing in the nation. With a projected 4 million jobs added by the year 2018, the Hero Health Hire is sure to be an amazing program and a win-win situation for both disabled veterans and those in need of health care.

As a strong supporter of the military, Hospice Care of South Carolina has a long history of employing veterans and their families. We believe that their skills and sacrifice for our country translate to success at HCSC.

At HCSC, we are committed to providing constant support for the men and women who have served our country. Though these are some of the strongest and bravest people our country has to offer, many may be dealing with health issues that stem from fighting for our freedom. One of the major issues veterans face is PTSD. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a psychiatric disorder that can occur following the experience or witnessing of a life-threatening events such as military combat, natural disasters, terrorist incidents, serious accidents, or physical or sexual assault. Most survivors of trauma return to normal given a little time. However, some people will have stress reactions that do not go away on their own, or may even get worse over time. These individuals may develop PTSD. People who suffer from PTSD often relive the experience through nightmares and flashbacks, have difficulty sleeping, and feel detached or estranged. These symptoms can be severe enough and last long enough to significantly impair your veteran’s daily life.

Approximately 30% of Vietnam War veterans have had PTSD at some point in their life after the war. As the Vietnam veteran population ages, it’s important to remember that there are ways to help. Providing care for a loved one who may have PTSD may be one of the best ways to show you care. While caring for a veteran with PTSD it is important to remember a few key points:

• A flashback (re-experiencing the traumatic event) may occur at any moment. Be prepared for this to happen and remember to remain calm.

• Avoiding situations that may remind your veteran of the traumatic event may be a good strategy.

• Veterans with PTSD may not want to express their feelings. Its important to not push them and allow them to express themselves on their own time frame and in their own ways.

Living with and caring for a veteran with PTSD can be a rewarding but challenging experience. We hope that through a greater understanding of our veteran’s, we can provide a higher level of care and connections with our veteran population.

Though we celebrate and thank our veterans when the appropriate holidays come around; wouldn’t it be nice to let them know how appreciative we are on a more regular basis?

They fought for us, not knowing who we were (and in many cases before we were born). Now it’s time to give back and make connections with veterans in your community. So introduce yourself and see if there’s anything you can do to give back.

Ways to say thanks:

Let them know you realize what they’ve sacrificed and offer to help them with a household chore as a way of giving back.  This could be a simple activity such as raking leaves or taking out the trash. Even bringing their groceries in once a week might make a huge difference.

• Offer to take them out to lunch on your dime. You may be treated to some amazing stories and a friend you never knew existed.
• A gift card to a nearby store may surprise them and let them know you are thinking about all they have done.
• Just going over to chat about their day or spend a while watching TV is a nice way to let them know you care.
• Cookies are hard to say no to and they help to break the ice and make a connection.
• Something as small as a note, or card thanking them for their service can be good for those who are a bit shy.

Also, if you have a veteran in your circle who is dealing with an advanced illness; let them know the benefits of hospice. It might be the most important thing you’ve ever done for someon who gave their all.