A preliminary study examining chaplains' support for veterans at the end of life.

This descriptive study examines the involvement of professional chaplains in addressing loss of dignity, inconsequential life or not having a legacy, fear of burdensomeness, and fear of pain in veterans at the end of life. A convenience sample of Jewish chaplains responded to an online survey gauging their involvement in these areas. Results are presented descriptively. Most respondents stated either rarely (≤1 x month) or sometimes (≥1 x month) encountering veterans with end-of-life issues. Respondents reported varying degrees of involvement in supporting veterans at the end of life with respect to the aforementioned areas. As research into the end-of-life care needs of veterans continues to develop, recognising chaplains as a source of both spiritual and psychosocial support can serve as an opportunity for better meeting the needs of this population.

How Involved are Non-VA Chaplains in Supporting Veterans?

In terms of supporting veteran populations, little is known of the experiences of chaplains professionally active outside of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare settings. The present study looks to examine how involved non-VA chaplains are in supporting veterans as well as their familiarity with the VA. An online survey was distributed in a convenience sample of chaplains, of which n = 39 met the inclusion criterion for this study (i.e., no past or present VA affiliation). The results find that most of the non-VA chaplains encounter veteran service users either on a weekly or monthly basis. Though familiar with VA services, non-VA chaplains were not sure of their veteran service users' VA enrollment status nor did they feel able to adequately advise their veteran service users on VA enrollment. The results suggest that non-VA chaplains actively support veteran populations. Opportunities for enhancing chaplaincy services and VA outreach programs are discussed.