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Red Cross Volunteers Support Patients at Veteran Medical Centers
Written by
Bonnie Gillespie
, Staff Writer, RedCross.org
Friday, November 07, 2003 — As Americans honor the men and women who have served in the armed forces this Veteran’s Day, the work of the Red Cross to support them will be remembered as well. In addition to many other services the American Red Cross provides to the U.S. military, thousands of Red Cross workers serve every day in Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers nationwide.
“Veteran’s Day is a time for us to remember the men and women that have served in our nation’s military, and that includes Red Cross volunteers who have served alongside our troops since 1898,” said Kay Walton, Senior Director of Station Operations for Red Cross military services. “In World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam combined, 508 Red Cross workers lost their lives during service.”
More than 2,000 volunteers assist veterans in 172 VA medical facilities nationwide . |
Exemplifying a tenacious commitment to troops and their families, Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Services (AFES) staff deploy with U.S. troops and provide vital emergency communication link between soldiers and their loved ones at home. But even when the 1.4 million active duty personnel return home, the Red Cross is still there, offering counseling services, financial assistance and lasting support to veterans, both at home and in medical treatment centers.
Presently, more than 2,000 volunteers assist veterans in 172 VA medical facilities nationwide through the Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service (VAVS) program, the largest volunteer program in the federal government.
“The VAVS is a very important program when you realize that more than 1,000 veterans die every day,” said Walton. “The VA hospitals and nursing homes are instrumental in helping to support the growing number of veterans.”
Since 1946, VAVS volunteers have donated 639 million hours of service in veteran’s medical centers, a number that increases daily with the rising number of veterans in the U.S.
“This past year, the Veteran’s Health Administration, at hundreds of locations around the country and abroad, provided health services to over 4 million of America's heroes, nearly double the number of veterans served but a few short years ago,” said Leslie Burger, MD, a Network Director with the Veterans Health Administration. “It is part of the continuing fulfillment of a commitment to the men and women who have served our nation in times of peace and war.
Red Cross volunteers are known as "heroes helping heroes." |
Known to many as “heroes helping heroes,” Red Cross VAVS workers, ranging in age from teenagers to retirees, provide an array of support services to patients in veterans health care centers, from physical rehabilitation and social work to general ward help, library work, nursing and administrative support.
The unique volunteer presence is often critically important for the veterans, as many have no surviving family members. As VA has expanded its care of veterans into the community, more VAVS workers have become involved and offer that “family” touch, assisting patients in nursing homes, end-of-life care programs, foster care and veterans outreach centers.
“Red Cross volunteers, serving alongside paid employees, and other volunteer groups, add greatly to that commitment, providing comfort and assistance without which our ability to accomplish our mission would be compromised,” said Burger.
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