Did you know about VETERAN'S HOMES for our Retired Veterans?
Jan 07 '04
The Bottom Line As an alternative idea to consider for your senior years, if you are a Veteran or the spouse of a Veteran, this is a possibility.
(My husband is an Army Veteran and my ex-husband is a Veteran of the Navy. My grandfathers were both Veterans of World War I. One grandfather used to tell us stories of how he was his unit's bugler. I'm sure many of us at least know someone who is a veteran. I hope this will enlighten you.)
My husband works as a volunteer at a Veteran's Home in Northern California. Unless you are a Veteran (and even if you are), you may not have heard of such facilities. There are Veteran's Homes all over the United States. They are there to give back to those who gave so selflessly to our country. The Veterans Homes were established to service the needs of its veterans as they age. Each state in the country has at least one Veteran's retirement home.
If you do a Google search for Veterans Homes, chances are very good that you will find one listed for your state.
The Veteran's Home that my husband works out of is a beautiful place. (It is even referred to as a "campus".) I've been there several times and have become familiar with the grounds and facilities and let me tell you, it is the cream of the crop. They have everything there.
The California Veteran's Home at Yountville, CA
The Veteran's Home at Yountville, CA is located about 10 miles north of Napa, California. It was founded by Colonel Nelson Holderman in 1884. Today it is a modern facility, and is entirely self-sufficient. They even have their own power facility on the premises. This is a very large home and looks very much like a college campus. It’s beautiful! It is composed of 500 acres. At the entrance is a lovely 9-hole golf course (not part of the facility, but members of the home may play for free!). The driveway is a long winding road with large beautiful maple trees on either side making a shady excursion to the entrance.
The Veteran's Home at Yountville has its own licensed hospital and specialty clinics, medical facilities, including dental and vision care. Living quarters are for men and women veterans and for spouses of veterans. There is also a pharmacy, and dietary, drug and alcohol program. Each resident is assigned a staff physician. Once admitted, residents can access higher levels of health care while remaining at the Home. The Home believes in providing a positive environment that manages elder age and illness(es), while promoting health and good nutrition at the same time.
What I like the most about this facility is that, yes, there are many "senior citizens" living here now. To see the residents is to see elderly men and women, many of them in wheelchairs or walking slowly with canes. These are people who have served their country with the armed forces. It doesn't matter if they served for 10 years or for one day. If they served, they are a Veteran. The state is taking care of them now, giving back because they gave.
There is a very nice dining hall, providing 3 square meals a day to almost 1,100 residents. (The food is quite delicious, I might add!) There are a total of dormitory style buildings, (roommates are matched for compatibility) each named for a U.S. President. There is a huge "alameda" which is a beautiful promenade filled with a variety of mature trees and a gazebo. These trees were planted over 50 years ago by Col. Holderman, who had a love of botany.
There is a 900 seat ampitheater (currently undergoing renovation) and many concerts and shows are held here for the home's residents as well as for the people of the community. (Veterans Home Members receive free admission!) There is a 45,000 volume library, plus videos. There is a creative arts center with every medium available for creative artistic expression. There is a swimming pool which is open during summer months, and a fitness center too. Members can take computer classes or dance classes or even go bowling right on the premises! Every evening there is a happy hour for those who imbibe and Karaoke on Friday nights. The Veterans Home at Yountville really does have it all.
BACKGROUND
In 1870, the Society of Mexican War Veterans proposed a veterans home for California. The Legislature then passed a bill providing for a plot of land in San Francisco for a home to be built.
After some problems raising money, it was decided that the Veterans needed a location where they could enjoy the countryside.
The Veteran's Home at Yountville, CA was founded in 1882. At that time, a total of 910 acres were purchased. (Yountville is named for George C. Yount, who lived in this area of the Napa Valley. He gave part of his land to become a town site.)
The State of California started providing funding from the state government in 1896. At that time, the Veteran's Home consisted of the 910 acres, 55 buildings, as well as successful farms, a dairy herd, hog farm and chicken ranch. When the state assumed control of the home, the name was officially changed to the Veterans Home of California.
By 1900, there were 800 Veteran members living at the home. Between 1900 and 1919, the original structures started showing signs of age and over-crowding. After World War I, a war hero, Colonel Nelson M. Holderman, was appointed commandant of the home. Col. Holderman began to take charge and make the much needed changes and upgrades. The buildings have been replaced by more modern Mediterranean style buildings. Col. Holderman continued as head of the home until his death in 1953. He completely rebuilt the physical plant and was successful in establishing a 500 bed hospital right on the premises. Since Colonel Holderman was a national hero, this added to the prestige of the home's early days.
The Veteran's Home at Yountville Today
This particular Veteran's Home is a community of so much beauty. It is in the center of the Napa Valley and is surrounded by wineries and vineyards of grapes. Oak trees dot the hills surrounding the home. Residents enjoy the peaceful ambiance of a small town with the metropolitan amenities of the city of San Francisco just an hours drive away.
Residential living includes all meals, lodging, and as I mentioned above, extensive common and recreational areas. Accommodations are air-conditioned, semi-private rooms with cable TV. Shared bathrooms are on each floor.
Roommates are matched for companionship. Social workers and financial advisors are available to assist members. For example, the cost for residential care: fees are based on 47.5% of the person's current income, up to a maximum, but never more than $1,200 per month.
The Veteran's Home is a focal point for civic groups and Veteran's organizations who take an active role in patriotic, social and recreational programs. The home is a community where activity and camaraderie is encouraged. Throughout the year, the home offers a broad array of special events, activities, day trips, sports, celebrations and memorial services. There is always something going on here: when I have been there, I've been to BBQ's, baseball games, and even a motorcycle rally, all on site! There is a small church too, which accommodates Catholic, Protestant and Jewish faiths every weekend! There is a fishing pond too. There is so much here, it is practically impossible to name it all. I was struck by the friendliness of almost everyone. (The dining hall is a big social gathering. Personally, I think the wives like the fact that they are freed up from not having to cook all the time.)
Admission requirements are as follows: California resident at the time of application; honorable discharge from the U.S. armed services, able to live independently at the time of admission, spouses may be admitted with eligible veterans. Must either be 62 years of age, or if not yet 62, be diagnosed as disabled.
There are close to 1,100 Veterans living in the Veterans Home today, including 30 couples and 150 women veterans.
The home offers five certified levels of quality health care, and a variety of social and therapeutic activities. The ratio of health care workers at the home is approximately three to one, with residents receiving excellent care.
The home's operating budget today is $47 million annually, half of which is provided by the California general fund; the remainder by other sources, including federal reimbursements and member fees. (With our new Governor in California, there is a very slight chance that some of the funding may be cut.)
The Veteran's Home of California at Yountville continues to enjoy tremendous support from local citizens, service clubs and veterans organizations throughout the state.
The atmosphere is truly homelike including family rooms, picnic grounds, gardens and deer roaming throughout in peaceful setting.
(How often do we hear of society's senior citizens living alone in little apartments, struggling to make ends meet on social security with little of no health insurance? Sad, but true.)
If you had no idea that Veteran's Homes existed in this country, I hope that this has opened your eyes to a resource is out there. (If you have any other questions, please feel free to e-mail me and I'll try to answer them.)
To see more of California's Veteran's Homes, visit this website:
http://www.cdva.ca.gov/homes/default.asp
Thanks for reading!
©gkm
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