VITAS Healthcare Honors Veterans at Inspiring 10th Annual Remembrance Event
Community leaders, military officers and state legislators attend the 10th annual Honor and Remember veterans event at the Submarine Force Museum in Groton, Connecticut.
10/03/2019
GROTON, CT — VITAS® Healthcare, the nation’s leading provider of end-of-life care, hosted the 10th annual Veterans Commemoration: To Honor and Remember at the Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut, on September 6, 2019.
More than 75 local veterans, members of the community and elected state officials, including Reps. Robin Green (R-55), Christine Conley (D-40), Anthony Nolan (D-39), and Sen. Cathy Osten (D-19), gathered on the pier of the USS Nautilus to honor those who have served in the US military.
With retired Col. Bruce W. Falcone serving as keynote speaker, the inspirational event included patriotic music performed by VITAS music therapists, a color guard performance by the Barque Eagle Division of the US Naval Sea Cadet Corps (NSCC), a flag-retirement ceremony and a military remembrance ceremony providing veterans in attendance an opportunity for reflection.
Presenter Michelle Codianna, VITAS senior general manager in Connecticut, said the annual event is just one of many ways VITAS demonstrates its commitment to the nation’s veterans and gives back to the community.
In its deep appreciation for all US veterans and their service, VITAS recognizes that only veterans can fully comprehend the physical, mental and emotional challenges that their fellow veterans face, especially at the end of life. Prime examples are VITAS Admissions Liaisons Sean Emond and Jim Denicola, both US military veterans whose roles at VITAS provide patients with assistance during the admissions process, including education for veterans about their end-of-life care benefits.
“As a national partner of the ‘We Honor Veterans’ program, VITAS offers a specialized level of hospice care designed to meet the specific needs of terminally ill veteran patients and their families,” said Emond. “We realize that past military service profoundly affects veterans as they age, and our healthcare experts agree it is critical for their end-of-life care providers to understand, anticipate and address these needs.”
VITAS serves patients and their families throughout Connecticut and is dedicated to providing high-quality, end-of-life care for all veterans, marked by clinical, spiritual and emotional care for patients and their families.