What is the We Honor Veterans Program?

The We Honor Veterans program is a national initiative created to improve how veterans are cared for at the end of life. It began as a collaboration between the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and today is operated as a program of the National Alliance for Care at Home.

The program invites hospices, home health agencies, and community partners to become We Honor Veterans “Partners” by committing to concrete steps that make their care more veteran-centered. This includes staff education, trauma-informed practices, and closer connections to local VA resources and veteran service organizations.

Better End-of-life Care for Veterans

At its heart, We Honor Veterans is about making sure that no veteran’s service is overlooked when they reach the last chapters of life. The program emphasizes three main skills: 

1. Respectful inquiry into military history
2. Compassionate listening when veterans share what they have experienced
3. Grateful acknowledgment of their service and sacrifices

These principles guide how teams approach pain, anxiety, spiritual distress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), moral injury, and other issues that can show up differently for veterans, especially near the end of life.

For families, this means you are not starting from scratch. Your hospice team has a framework, language, and set of tools specifically designed for veteran hospice care and veteran end-of-life care.

How the We Honor Veterans “levels” and 5-star Recognition Work

We Honor Veterans uses an “Earn Your Stars” model. Partner organizations move through levels (often pictured as stars) from Level 1 up to Level 5, completing specific activities and education at each step.

Each level typically includes work such as:

• Educating staff and volunteers about military culture and the unique needs of veterans
• Building relationships with VA medical centers, veterans service organizations (VSOs), and local Hospice-Veteran Partnerships
• Implementing trauma-informed approaches and veteran-specific screening (such as asking about service history in a sensitive, structured way)
• Hosting or participating in events that recognize and honor veterans in the community

As organizations progress from Level 1 to Level 5, they demonstrate deeper knowledge, capacity, and leadership in serving veterans, and their names appear in the national We Honor Veterans Partner Directory.

What Tender Care’s 5-star We Honor Veterans Status Means for Your Family

Tender Care Home Health & Hospice is recognized as a 5 out of 5-star agency in the We Honor Veterans program, which is the highest level of recognition available for a hospice agency caring for veterans.

At the same time, Tender Care carries a 5-star quality rating from Medicare’s Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which reflects high performance in areas like clinical quality and patient experience.

Put together, this means your loved one receives care from a team that is:

• Veteran-focused through We Honor Veterans
• Nationally recognized for clinical quality and patient satisfaction through Medicare and independent awards

Veteran-centered Hospice Care in El Paso, TX & Las Cruces, NM

Tender Care serves veterans and their families in El Paso, Texas, Las Cruces, New Mexico, and surrounding communities.

Being a 5-star We Honor Veterans agency in this region means:

• Your loved one can access veteran hospice care without leaving the community they know.
• The team understands local VA providers, military installations, and veteran organizations, which makes coordination smoother.
• You have one place to call for both veteran healthcare questions and hospice support at home.

If you want to dig deeper into how Tender Care applies the We Honor Veterans framework, you can explore their dedicated page on veteran healthcare, which outlines specific commitments and services for veterans and their families.

Help Connecting to VA Benefits & Veteran Healthcare Resources

Veteran families often tell us the system feels confusing. One of the goals of We Honor Veterans is to improve veterans’ access to benefits and high-quality hospice and palliative care.

Tender Care’s team can:

• Help you understand how VA benefits and Medicare/Medicaid work together for hospice coverage
• Coordinate with VA case managers when appropriate
• Connect you with local veterans service organizations that can assist with claims, records, or survivor benefits

This does not replace legal or official VA advice, but it does give you a knowledgeable ally so you are not trying to figure everything out on your own.

Getting Veteran Hospice Care Started with Tender Care

If you think your loved one might benefit from veteran-focused hospice or home health support:

1. Call or email Tender Care Home Health & Hospice to talk through your situation. You do not need to have every detail or diagnosis ready.
2. Ask to speak with someone about We Honor Veterans and veteran hospice care so the team can explain exactly how the program might apply to your loved one.
3. Gather any VA documentation or discharge papers you have. If you do not have them, the team can still guide you on next steps.
4. Once a referral is made, the Tender Care team will coordinate with your loved one’s physicians, VA resources, and family to build a plan focused on comfort, dignity, and honoring their service.

You deserve a partner who understands both the complexity of the healthcare system and the unique needs of veterans. You do not have to walk this part of the journey by yourself.