The
State Board of Veterans Affairs met on May 15th and voted unanimously not
to accept existing facilities for conversion to state veterans homes. The Board
directed the commissioner of the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA)
to not accept any existing facilities. The renovation of existing buildings and
long-term upkeep costs make such projects ill-advised.
“The recent changes to the
federal guidelines sought by the National Association of State Directors of
Veterans Affairs have given states more leeway in constructing new veterans
homes,” Dee Hardin, vice chairman of the State Board of Veterans Affairs, said.
“However, we are still bound by other federal requirements including a
requirement to provide our residents with a homelike atmosphere.”
States must comply with the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
requirements for construction and/or renovations. CFR 59-130 states that the
project must “provide
sufficient space and equipment in dining, health services, recreation, and
program areas to enable staff to provide residents with needed services.” The
interior and exterior of state homes should resemble an attractive and homelike
environment.
The ADVA’s living facilities have
a homelike environment, not a hospital-like atmosphere. Veterans homes are not
hospital or medical centers, although veterans homes staff will transport the
veteran for appointments of acute care. “Our veterans are residents in our
homes and we provide them with the dignity and privacy that they had in their
own home,” W. Clyde Marsh, ADVA commissioner, said. “State Veterans Homes do
not provide lifesaving procedures or acute care, but instead are a daily living
facility. These homes are the residence of the aging veterans and must meet
their needs with the dignity and respect they have earned and deserve!”
Alabama has 227 nursing homes
with just over 26,000 available beds. Four of these facilities are state
veterans homes with 704 available beds, providing an additional option for some
veterans. This option is based on availability for veterans as are community
nursing homes as well as private sitters and private/personal caregivers that
assists veterans at home.
“It is important to clarify that
veterans are not dying because they are not getting into our state veterans
homes,” he said. “The majority of these veterans will die due to age related
conditions whether they are in a hospital setting, private nursing facility, a
state veterans home or at their own home.”
A feasibility study has been
budgeted for FY18. The results of this study will guide our future decisions on
what type of services our veterans need and the best location to provide those
services for the most impact. This will also provide the supporting
documentation needed to be awarded a VA construction grant which usually covers
approximately two-thirds of the construction costs.
“We have worked too
hard to provide the best for our fellow Alabama veterans to go backwards now,”
Ken Rollins, chairman of the State Veterans Homes committee, said. “We owe
them.”