New Livingston County Hospice Alliance Decorates Mount Morris Navy Vet

LIVINGSTON COUNTY – When lifelong Mount Morris resident Dominic Peraino entered into Hospice care, he didn’t expect strangers to visit him just to thank him for his service and shower him in awards.

Peraino, who served in the Navy during World War II on the USS Wainright, was the latest veteran in in the final phase of life to be thanked by volunteers, who presented him with a certificate, flag lapel pin, wooden plaque, and a beautiful American flag blanket to covered him in his bed.

“This simple ceremony was very moving and brought tears to his eyes,” read a statement by Peraino’s children. “Although he was unable to verbally communicate it, we all could tell that he was deeply touched to be honored in this way. Because his military service became a source of such pride in his later years, this gesture was especially meaningful.”

The We Honor Veterans program was developed by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs and seeks respectful inquiry, compassionate listening and grateful acknowledgement to comfort hospice patients with a history of military service.

The generosity of We Honor Veterans inspired Peraino’s children to request that donations be used to add more American flag blankets to the program.

“After seeing how much the ceremony meant to our father, we wanted other veterans to feel the same sense of honor and pride that our father felt.” said Periano’s children. “We requested that American flag blankets be purchased with donated funds and added to the Livingston County We Honor Veterans program. Our family will be forever grateful to the We Honor Veterans program and Hospice for giving our father such a wonderful moment in the last days of his life.”

Hospice is a home care program that provides services to those with life limiting illnesses who desire specialized support at the end of life’s journey. Hospice offers the opportunity to remain at home, cared for by family and friends, while receiving supportive services focused on comfort and quality of life.

To find out more about hospice, the We Honor Veterans program, or to volunteer, you can call the Livingston County Department of Health at (585) 243-7290. You can also email jcraft@co.livingston.ny.us to find out more about the We Honor Veterans Program.