KATHRYN SCHAEFER WEST: MEDICAL FOSTER HOME IS A CARE OPTION
THAT VETERANS CAN UTILIZE WHERE THEY LIVE IN A TRADITIONAL HOME
WITH A FAMILY, AND THERE'S NO MORE THAN 3 RESIDENTS
UNDER CARE.
IT'S A REALLY HIGHLY INDIVIDUALIZED CARE SETTING
WHERE YOU'LL HAVE ONE CAREGIVER SERVING 3 VETERANS,
AND SO WHATEVER THE VETERAN IS INTERESTED IN, IT'S ACTUALLY
GENERALLY VERY EASY TO CREATE THAT LIFESTYLE FOR THEM.
GARY GOLDISH: WE PARTNER WITH PRIVATE HOMES AND FAMILIES TO
PROVIDE A HOME-LIKE ATMOSPHERE FOR VETERANS TO LIVE.
THEY PROVIDE 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK SUPPORT
IN A HOME ENVIRONMENT.
- NOBODY UNDERSTANDS MY JOKES, THOUGH.
- YEAH. THE DOGS GIVE YOU AWAY.
THAT'S HOW I KNOW YOU'RE IN THE KITCHEN.
[LAUGHTER]
SCHAEFER WEST: AND IT'S A HOME WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF LOVE.
A FOUNDATION PIECE OF FOSTER CARE, IN ADDITION TO
INDIVIDUALIZED CARE, IS LOOKING FOR FAMILIES THAT ARE
VERY WARM AND LOVING.
ONCE WE'VE SELECTED A HOME THAT MIGHT BE OF INTEREST TO
A VETERAN--AND SOMETIMES IT'S 2 OR 3 HOMES--WE REALLY
ENCOURAGE TO GO ON TOURS, TO MEET THE CAREGIVER,
TO SEE THE HOME.
IT ALSO HELPS US TO BEST UNDERSTAND IF THERE'S ANY
ADAPTATIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE TO ENVIRONMENTS
SUCH AS RAMPS.
GERARD VENEMAN: WE CONDUCT ABOUT 4 DIFFERENT INSPECTIONS
OF A HOME.
WE DO AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, I.E. ACCESSIBILITY, INSPECTION.
WE DO A NURSING INSPECTION.
WE DO A DIETARY INSPECTION.
WE DO A FIRE AND SAFETY INSPECTION, AND THEN
THE MEDICAL FOSTER HOME COORDINATOR ALSO DOES
AN INSPECTION AND DOES IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWING
OF THE OWNER/CAREGIVER, AND SO I THINK THAT LOVED ONES,
FAMILY MEMBERS OF VETERANS WHO ARE CONCERNED CAN REALLY TAKE
GREAT COMFORT IN KNOWING THAT THERE IS A LOT OF OVERSIGHT.
- OH, HE'S KIND OF THE GUARD DOG THEN.
- YEAH. HE'S CHECKING IT ALL OUT.
- HE'S A SPOOK. HE TELLS ON ME.
- HE'S A LITTLE SNITCH. - A LITTLE SNITCH.
KEVIN HARTY: WHAT YOU NORMALLY DO AS A FAMILY IS WHAT THEY'RE
DOING HERE, AND IT'S THE CAREGIVERS THAT DO THAT BECAUSE
THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO LET THESE GUYS
BE DEPRIVED OF THEIR LIFE JUST
BECAUSE THEY MAY HAVE MEDICAL NEEDS THAT POP UP OR THEY MAY
HAVE DISABILITIES THAT CAN'T BE MANAGED AS WELL
ON THEIR OWN.
SO THEY REALLY ARE THE LIFELINE TO THE COMMUNITY THAT
THEY'D BE LACKING OTHERWISE.
- I WOULD SAY IF YOU WANT TO HAVE SOME COMRADESHIP AND SOME
FUN, ENJOYMENT, GET ALONG WITH THE OTHER GUYS AND THE PEOPLE,
DO IT, DO IT.
YEAH.
IT GIVES YOU MORE SECURITY, MORE FEELING OF BELONGING.
THAT'S GOOD.
SCHAEFER WEST: ONE OF THE REALLY UNIQUE CAVEATS
OF THE VA MEDICAL FOSTER HOME PROGRAM IS THAT EVERY VETERAN
IS FOLLOWED BY THE VA HOME BASE PRIMARY CARE TEAM.
THIS IS A SPECIALIZED TEAM THAT'S INTERDISCIPLINARY.
THEY MEET WITH THE VETERANS TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE
AND ASSESSMENT AND HELP THEM CREATE THEIR CARE PLAN
IN THE HOME.
THEY ALSO ARE THERE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THAT CAREGIVER
SO THAT THEY'RE CONTINUING TO THRIVE, AS WELL.
HARTY: I'M GONNA LISTEN TO YOUR HEART FIRST, SO JUST
BREATHE NORMALLY TO START.
SCHAEFER WEST: WE SEE THE BENEFITS OF MEDICAL FOSTER
HOME BEING THINGS LIKE IMPROVED STRENGTH,
FLEXIBILITY, DECREASE OF WOUNDS.
WE SEE HAPPINESS.
I HAVE ALSO SEEN VETERANS DECREASE PAIN MEDICATION
AND MENTAL HEALTH MEDICATION.
VENEMAN: THE GREATEST SOLE SATISFACTION THAT I GET FROM
DOING THIS JOB IS THE GRATEFULNESS THAT I HEAR FROM
THE VETERANS, THE GRATEFULNESS THAT I HEAR FROM THE FAMILY
MEMBERS AND LOVED ONES.
I MEAN, THEY HAD NO IDEA THAT THIS WAS A POSSIBILITY
FOR THEM, AND WHEN WE CREATE THIS POSSIBILITY
FOR THE VETERAN, THEY'RE JUST ECSTATIC ABOUT IT.
- FREEDOM. I HAVE FREEDOM, SO I JUST APPRECIATE EVERYTHING
THAT THE VA HAS DONE TO MAKE LIVING HERE MORE
COMFORTABLE AND SAFE.
DEFINITELY SAFE.