MACVSO presents award to Senator Ropes

Minneapolis Veterans Medical Foster Home Update

December 22, 2009 - An update on Mpls VA HBPC Medical Foster Home. The program continues to grow & is a year old now.

BENEFITS

24 hour care (personal care, meals, medications, supervision, medical needs, recreation & more)
private room
more affordable than nursing homes or assisted living
individualized care
private pay, private care agreement between Vet/family/guardian/caregiver
Case management by the comprehensive VA Home Based Primary Care team

HOMES

2 - Hastings
1 - Cottage Grove
2 - Oakdale
1 - Forest Lake
1 - Minneapolis (44th & Portland just NW of the VA) – new
- we are reaching out to providers metro wide for further development.
- all homes have openings for appropriate Veterans.
- providers have been very impressed with the VA support & programming.

OUTREACH

Below is a link to the Mpls MFH website. Feel free to share it with Veterans & others. It’s on our VA home page under services. It has info on homes, 5 minutes MFH video, brochures & pictures. We will update this in March to have a more detailed list of homes. Also if I can be of assist for any presentations let me know. I can provide a video for services to use & brochures.

VETERANS

Veterans are admitting to MFH from the community, Veterans Homes, Nursing Homes and other settings… There are 5 Veterans in homes. All are doing well & express high satisfaction of MFH & HBPC. Caregivers are able to manage many needs. But, Veterans difficult to manage are those with strong personality disorders, unstable mental health issues, ongoing problematic use of alcohol or drugs, total care needs & Veterans who are up at night with confusion.

Examples:

The Veteran in the attached photo (release of info obtained) was in a nursing home, slowly declining & felt isolated. Within weeks of admission to MFH he improved strength, functional ability, attends ADHC & feels part of a family. His family expresses peace of mind & rates the home as a 12 on a 1-10 scale. The provider & his wife have a heart of gold. They also come with wonderful on hands care skills. He was a physical therapist for 20yrs.
Another Veteran came from a nursing home. Within weeks she went from 9.5 headaches to 4.5 on a 1-10 scale. She went from 3 pain meds to 1 per day. Since in a Medical Foster Home, she has clean & trim polished nails, colored her hair, has daily emotional support & feels a sense of dignity that’s been missing for years. Her guardian can’t believe what a difference this smaller care setting has done for this Veteran.

PLACEMENT

Feel free to call us with questions and care reviews. If/when a Veteran is serious then an official Medical Foster Home referral form can be completed. The more info on the referral the better. Our Home Based Primary Care-MFH screening team review comprehensive referrals weekly. I call the homes to inquire on openings & ability to manage care. Veterans tour/interview at the homes. From phone call to placement it has taken 2 weeks to 2 months. To support the Veteran & caregiver the comprehensive VA Home Based Primary Care team visits. HBPC RN visits the day of admission & I also visit within that first week. Veterans can also use respite, Adult Day Health Care, Home Health Aide & Home maker benefits.

FUNDING

It’s estimated that 50% of Veterans might be eligible for some VA Regional Office funding. I can work with the county Veterans Officer, family or VA clinic social worker to complete the required paperwork. We have a wonderful opportunity that fast tracks VA funding decisions. Thus far decisions generally have been within 1 week. Funding checks usually start within 2 months. Many of caregivers are willing to take a Veteran for a reduced rat until funding begins. Average rates are $2-$3500. We also have an example where a Veteran moved into a home & was granted a waiver within a few months.

Thanks for so much support & keeping MFH in mind. Thus far MFH has been an incredible program. It’s an honor to see Veterans in family Medical Foster Homes. We can’t wait to watch it keep growing as a care option to serve Veterans.

MORE INFORMATION

Website - www.minneapolis.va.gov/services/serv_fosterhome.asp
Brochure