A North Carolina hospice held a memorial service this week for current veterans and those the facility once cared for.
The Daily News, Jacksonville reported that family members, area residents and caregivers at the Onslow County Home Health and Hospice gathered at a local cemetery for a Veterans Day ceremony that honored veterans by sharing memories of the late servicemembers while also recognizing the county's aging veterans population.
"Some veterans made the ultimate sacrifice so we can do things in life that we probably take for granted," staff member Joseph Durgin told the news source. "I think it's important that the veterans be honored and shown the respect they deserve because they provided us all with the freedom to be able to take those things for granted."
According to the news outlet, former servicemembers who fought in World War II and the Vietnam War attended the ceremony.
While the average age of veterans in the U.S. is 58, data from the Department of Veterans Affairs shows that more than 35 percent of the veteran population is over the age of 65. Currently, several organizations, such as We Honor Veterans, connect hospices and home-health workers with aging veterans to provide them with the proper care.