Veteran Care in the Post-Acute Industry

Author: Shea Swenson

Posted: November 12, 2024

Enhance your veteran care services with Maxwell Healthcare Associates—contact us today!

At Maxwell Healthcare Associates, we understand the profound sacrifices our veterans have made for our country. As they age or face terminal illness, the need for specialized care becomes increasingly urgent.

Because we are a veteran-owned business, our commitment to providing compassionate and high-quality care is more than just a responsibility. With the Veteran Health Administration (VHA) being the largest integrated healthcare system in the United States that serves over 9 million veterans, we recognize the significant challenges that arise.¹ Despite the complexities and stigmas surrounding veteran care, especially as the veteran population ages, many positive changes have been implemented to address these issues.

In this blog, we aim to shed light on the current state of veteran care, highlight areas for improvement, and celebrate key advancements that have been made. By doing so, we hope to further reduce the stigmas surrounding post-acute care for veterans and increase the support given to those who have served our country.

Current State of Veteran Care

The VHA is the largest healthcare system in the U.S., and the program often faces scrutiny, with much of the focus on its shortcomings. As the population of older veterans continues to grow, so does the stigma and trust surround their care. This lack of trust between veterans and caregivers remains a significant barrier to accessing care.

Derrik Staples, a hospice account manager at Mission Healthcare and an Army veteran, speaks directly to this issue. “The care is amazing, but we aren’t able to reach people because there is a lack of trust, there is a lack of even wanting to ask for the help because they were treated so poorly when they came back,” said Staples.

For more veterans to receive the care they deserve, the trust between care providers and veterans needs to be strengthened and communication expanded. Staples and the team at Mission Healthcare are committed to helping veterans through quality home health and hospice care.²

Mission, along with a growing number of other agencies, is dedicated to veteran-focused training, trauma-informed care, enhanced mental health services, and philanthropic efforts to build stronger connections and trust. These improvements are reflected in the recent record-breaking levels of care provided.

Record-Breaking Improvements

Fortunately, some of the recent advancements in veteran care are truly encouraging:

Trust in the VA among Veteran patients rose to 91.8%, up 6% from 2017.³
The VA is delivering more care and benefits, with a 30% increase of enrollment from the previous year, and a 50% increase from 2020.³
The VA launched a $16 million + advertising campaign that hosted 2,600 events, PSAs, and text messages to veterans, encouraging them to enroll in VA health care.³
More than one million veterans have received disability compensation benefits under the PACT Act.⁴

These remarkable advancements in veteran care are continuing to grow, particularly with the implementation of the PACT Act. This act expands VA healthcare and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxins.⁵ As trust in VA care increases—especially among veterans who previously held reservations—the VA can provide more care and deliver higher-quality services to those in need.

Areas of Opportunity in Veteran Care

While improvements in post-acute care for veterans are driving significant progress in the industry, there remain areas of opportunity which require ongoing attention and innovation:

Timely post-acute care placements: Social workers, who play a critical role in coordinating care for veterans, often struggle to manage growing caseloads. One solution to this is the adoption of modern technologies that streamline care coordination and placement processing. With advanced technology, the VA and its partners can improve communication, reduce wait times, and ensure veterans are placed in appropriate care setting—all while alleviating pressures in social workers.

Trauma-informed and mental health care: Enhanced trauma-informed care and mental health services are crucial needs for veterans. Many veterans have experienced significant trauma that can have lasting effect on their mental and physical health. The VA has made strides in this area by providing increased training for social workers and caregivers, but there is still work to be done to ensure that all veterans have access to the care and support they need.

In the meantime, agencies like Mission are taking this important work to heart by spearheading efforts to better support veterans. “At Mission Healthcare, we have an amazing veterans’ program – one we are growing throughout all six states we are currently in,” Staples states. “The veteran-centric training that we are putting our clinicians through makes them better equipped to help these veterans and meet them where they need to be met.”

By providing training in trauma-informed care, particularly from veterans themselves, the VA and its partners can ensure that effective and compassionate care takes place to account for their unique experiences and needs.

The Future of Veteran Care

The care of our veterans must remain a top priority, and recent advancements in trust, communication, access to care, and care quality are great steps forward. Continued efforts to modernize the VA systems, expand trauma and mental health training for caregivers, and strengthen bonds of trust between veterans and caregivers will help ensure every veteran receives the respect, care, and support they are entitled to. By uniting healthcare professionals, community organizers, philanthropic partners, and veterans, we can create a future where all who have served our country receive the outstanding post-acute care they deserve.

The MHA Difference

At Maxwell Healthcare Associates, a veteran-owned business, we understand the unique challenges and needs for our fellow veterans. Our commitment to improving home health and hospice care is rooted in our deep respect for those who have served. We believe that every veteran deserves not only high-quality, compassionate care, but also a system that is trusted by all. By providing hospices and home health agencies with tech-enabled solutions and strategic alignment, we aim to equip the industry with the resources needed to expand care and training of caregivers for every veteran.

At MHA, we are here to partner with you in achieving excellence in the industry. If you are looking to enhance your services for veterans, streamline operations, or strategically align your processes for future growth, we are here to help. Ready to take the next step? Reach out to our sales team for a consultation at [email protected] or visit www.maxwellhca.com to learn more about our solutions. Together, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of those who have served our country.

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