Deborah Grassman has spent decades helping veterans through the last stages of their lives.
She’s in Chattanooga this week to share what she’s learned with hospice caretakers, veterans and their families.
The most important lesson? Listening.
Often those who are dying speak in metaphor, using symbols to guide them. Veterans have their own speech, unique needs and concerns, she said.
“We want to learn how to speak their language,” she told a group of about 40 caretakers Tuesday, “not force them back out to speak ours.”