WOODWAY, Texas (KXXV) — “It just puts my mind at ease knowing that these are the people that we got my dad's care entrusted to,” family member Carlos Cotto said.
AccentCare in Waco’s vet to vet program is helping families like this — now, the program is looking for help from our neighbors.
The program connects veteran volunteers to veteran hospice patients.
“We treat our patients as family, providing them support throughout their journey and overall, listening and providing support,” said AccentCare’s volunteer coordinator, MyKaylee Farnam.
Carlos’ father, Eliseo Cotto, is an 88-year-old veteran who went into hospice in May 2024.
“He relates to other veterans — he’s just talkative when he gets involved with another veteran,” Cotto said.
Eliseo served in the Navy between 1959 and 1972 during the Vietnam War.
“The quality of care they provided is the most important thing for me,” Cotto said.
"'Just being able to have that relation and have somebody come in that can relate to what he went through."
Lucy Rivera was in the military for more than six years, and she's now a volunteer with AccentCare providing a unique product for patients' families.
"Recently, they've started doing memory quilts for family members,” said AccentCare volunteer, Lucy Rivera.
“These will be 24/7, 365 — that they can have out to remember their family member by, and I really like that."
Families can request personalized quilts made from clothes worn by their loved one.
“We’re just a military family, and I really enjoy the fact that these are that I’m helping veterans,” Rivera said.
“It just lifts them up and just see that smile when I used to see him interact with other veterans, and now that they're going to be providing, to be providing this service,” Cotto said.
“You can just imagine it's definitely going to be a plus for him,”
Click here for more information on how to volunteer with AccentCare.
