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HOSPICE PROGRAM HELPS VETERANS MAKE PEACE WITH WAR

EXPERIENCES -- "At the end of life, when people are particularly

vulnerable, we were finding that many of these people who

'toughed it out' haven't talked about their experiences."

Bob Leibrand, a Samaritan Hospice veterans program volunteer, comforts Pat Sasso. Both men are veterans of World War II. (photo: JOHN ZIOMEK / Courier-Post)

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Story here... http://www.courierpostonline.com/ap
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Hospice program helps veterans make peace with war experiences

By KRISTY DAVIES
Courier-Post Staff

Every veteran has a story to tell.

But some don't know how to relate to others enough to tell those stories. That's where fellow veterans come in, especially when a veteran is near the end of life and wants to make peace.

Samaritan Hospice of Marlton has created a veterans program to deal with end-of-life issues specific to those who have served.

"When we looked at the number of veterans in our service area, we found 660,000 veterans and have been working closely with the (Veterans Affairs) system," said Mary Ann Boccolini, president of Samaritan Hospice.

"Veterans have shared traumatic experiences and a special bond and camaraderie. At the end of life, when people are particularly vulnerable, we were finding that many of these people who "toughed it out' haven't talked about their experiences."

Samaritan Hospice, which began in 1980, launched its veterans outreach program in November 2006. The program was designed to reach veterans in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Mercer counties who might need assistance, whether it was hospice care, grief support or counseling. Samaritan also enhanced its volunteer program to connect veterans with one another and added veteran-care education for the staff.

Bob Leibrand, 82, of Haddonfield, is one of those volunteers. Leibrand, a World War II veteran, had used the services of Samaritan when his his wife was ill and later died. He said he decided to give back by volunteering. He said he felt a sense of duty to help other vets.

"Leave no man behind," said Leibrand, who served in the Army's 9th Infantry Division, was wounded twice and was captured by the Germans.

Earlier this year, Leibrand was assigned a hospice patient, Pat Sasso, 85, who is also a World War II veteran.

As he opened up to Leibrand, Sasso talked about being in Germany and freeing Holocaust survivors from a concentration camp. He also spoke of liberating a town called Stolberg, Germany. After exchanging stories, Leibrand learned that Sasso liberated the town just days after he had been captured there. Although being veterans had already connected the two, the common experiences have bonded them.

Robert Moser, 75, of Palmyra, is under hospice care for a weak heart. He has endured disease, exhaustion and pain, but maintains a positive attitude.

"It could be worse," he said in his home just blocks from downtown Palmyra. "The Chinese could be shooting at me."

Moser remembers being 18 years old when he joined the Army, not expecting to go to Korea to fight a war.

"I wouldn't want to do that again," said Moser, who also talked about the cold of Korea. "A good day was minus 10 degrees."

Veterans require specific care depending on their experiences, Boccolini said.

Samaritan staff and volunteers are taught that health risks are associated specifically to each war. Cold injuries are a common injury from the Korea War. For the Cold War some may have been exposed to nuclear testing. A list of other health risks associated with each war also includes exposure to Agent Orange for Vietnam War veterans as well as infectious diseases.

Patricia Williams, 50, of Willingboro, retired from the Air Force after 21 years and is now a licensed practical nurse with Samaritan. She is assigned to the team that cares for Moser and enjoys listening to his stories and sharing her own military experiences.

"I like taking care of all of my patients," said Williams as she sat at the table in Moser's kitchen, "But I must admit that some of these veterans tug at my heart strings. We have a bond."

Some veterans had such negative experiences that sometimes they keep them private, never telling family or friends.

Samaritan Hospice chaplain and Navy and Army veteran Kelli Stewart, 41, of Fort Dix works with many of these veterans.

"One veteran asked me if God sent him to Vietnam or if man sent him there," Stewart said. "He asked, with all the people he killed, if he was forgiven. That's the deepest question I've been asked. His wife said he had been struggling with that. It's a question that I allowed him to work through and it guided him to where he was spiritually."

Korean War veteran Ron Kentrus, 73, is a volunteer who has connected on more than one occasion with World War II veterans.

"I've compared war stories, but mainly I listen to the patient," Kentrus said. "Some of the guys who have been in the middle of things don't tell you too much. They had a lot of buddies die and want to forget about it."

Reach Kristy Davies at (856) 486-2917 or krdavies@courierpostonline.com

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Larry Scott  --

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