Home health care for veterans — honoring those who served

They once stood for the nation — protecting, serving and sacrificing so others could live freely. Now, across the country, millions of veterans are entering a new mission: aging at home with comfort, stability and the high-quality, compassionate care they deserve. Enhabit’s home health care for veterans supports that mission by bringing skilled, personalized care directly to wherever they call home.

Many veterans carry the visible and invisible marks of service — chronic conditions, mobility limitations or emotional wounds that linger long after their years in uniform. Yet even in those challenges, their independence and resilience remain unmistakable. According to the AARP, 77% of older adults prefer care at home. Home health care for veterans honors that preference by delivering skilled support that respects their values, goals and personal history.

Why transitional care matters for veterans

Kristi Wimberly, PT, Enhabit’s vice president of care transitions, said transitional care plays a vital role in helping veterans remain safely at home after hospitalization.

“We know veterans are at risk for rehospitalization, so it is vital that we provide transitional care to decrease that risk,” Wimberly said. “The core components of our Care Transitions Program at Enhabit include a bedside or telephonic assessment before discharge from the facility to understand potential risk factors or barriers to a safe transition home.”

Enhabit’s transitional care approach reflects veteran-informed care, a model built around understanding PTSD, chronic conditions, mobility limitations and the need for emotional safety during recovery.

Enhabit coordinates directly with Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals and clinics to support safe discharges, reduce unnecessary emergency department visits and incorporate caregiver support and training, a vital component of any seamless transition. Enhabit also follows each veteran’s authorized VA care plan to ensure compliance, continuity and clarity as they move from hospital to home.

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, one in five Medicare patients discharged from a hospital are readmitted within 30 days. We focus on early intervention to deliver the right care, at the right time, helping reduce the risk of hospital readmissions through customized care plans that align with each veteran’s goals and address social drivers of health.

How home health supports aging veterans

Enhabit is recognized as an Age-Friendly Health System — Committed to Care Excellence by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). This recognition honors the dedication to providing high-quality, evidence-based care to older adults, ensuring their unique needs and preferences are consistently met.

Age-friendly care for veterans centers on the 4Ms framework, a proven model that supports veterans as they age in place and receive care where they feel most secure: at home.

The 4Ms framework guides how Enhabit delivers care to veterans:

• What Matters: Asking each veteran what matters most — in both their health care journey and personal life — and aligning care with their goals and preferences.
• Medication: Reviewing each medication with the veteran to ensure understanding, safety and effective use.
• Mentation: Prioritizing the prevention, detection and management of brain-related mood or memory disorders.
• Mobility: Supporting veterans as they move safely and confidently in their environment to reduce falls and promote independence.

Enhabit also incorporates insights from the Veterans Experience Office (VEO) — ensuring continuous improvement in the veteran experience and reinforcing a standard of veteran home health services that is both personalized and grounded in respect.

“We are the clinically appropriate, lowest-cost setting for so many veterans,” Wimberly said. “This framework allows veterans to age in place and receive the support they need from the comfort of wherever they call home.”

Jennifer S., MBA, RN, CHPN, Enhabit’s director of operations, said this approach helps address the unique challenges many veterans face after years of service.

“This helps us address unique service-related challenges and positions staff to improve the quality of life for veterans and their families,” she said. She added that the goal goes beyond recovery — focusing on stability, purpose and A Better Way to Care® for veterans in the comfort of their homes.

Enhabit’s exceptional in-home health care for veterans includes nursing, physical therapy, medication management and chronic disease support — all designed to help veterans stay safe and independent while meeting VA standards for high-quality care.

Extending the mission through veteran hospice care

For some veterans, the journey continues through veteran hospice care, where the focus shifts from curative to comfort. The goal remains the same: to provide compassionate care that aligns with each veteran’s wishes and supports them through every step of their end-of-life journey.

“Hospice is vital for veterans transitioning out of hospitals because it provides specialized and compassionate support, symptom management and trauma-informed care, especially for those with PTSD or trauma-related injuries,” said Jennifer S., Enhabit’s director of operations.

Enhabit works closely with VA teams and the VetResources Community Network (VRCN) to deliver customized care plans that align with each veteran’s goals and address social drivers of health.

Bryce Rascoe, MSN, RN, Enhabit’s vice president of hospice operations, said hospice care helps veterans find peace surrounded by the people and places they love.

“Enhabit is investing in its employees to make sure we are able to provide this service at the highest level possible,” Rascoe said. “We work each day to try and make a difference in the lives of each veteran we have the honor to provide care for.”

Stories of compassionate care for veterans at home

“I’ve seen home health and hospice care do one thing better than anything else for veterans leaving the hospital — keep them home, in control and out of the ER cycle,” said Bobby B., MDiv, MaRe, DMin, Enhabit’s area bereavement manager and former pastor, having witnessed those moments of honor firsthand.

Home health brings nurses, therapists and aides who manage pain, rebuild strength and support daily needs. Hospice continues that mission, offering 24/7 symptom relief, emotional support and peace on the veteran’s terms.

Bobby recalled moments of perseverance — one veteran rebuilt grip strength and went fishing with his grandson. Another, facing ALS, dictated letters to his children with the help of a chaplain.

“It’s not giving up, it’s giving peace on their terms,” Bobby said. “Our care teams don’t patronize; they honor. Nurses salute. Social workers tackle paperwork like it’s a mission. Veteran volunteers sit bedside, swap stories and share silence that speaks louder than words.”

These stories deepen Enhabit’s commitment as a partner of the We Honor Veterans program — strengthening bonds through veteran-to-veteran volunteer matching, trauma-informed training, and preserving legacies through storytelling and remembrance.

A Better Way to Care® for veterans and their loved ones

As veterans age, their needs may evolve, but their courage, honor and value remain unwavering. Each veteran served by Enhabit is a reminder of the nation’s responsibility — to care for those who once stood in defense of others.

“Every visit, every conversation, every quiet moment of care is our way of saying thank you,” Bobby noted.

Enhabit is committed to providing veteran home health services and supporting veterans and their loved ones through hospice care — ensuring every veteran receives the high-quality, compassionate care they deserve, on their terms and in the comfort of home.