Thanks to a VA pilot program called Nursing Home to Home (NHTH), 61 Veterans who get their care from VA have been able to move out of nursing facilities and back to their own homes or to a community-based setting.
NHTH is designed for Veterans with chronic health conditions who don’t need the level of care that a nursing home provides. The program prioritizes what matters most to each Veteran and focuses on promoting independence, enhancing quality of life and reducing the need for institutional care by providing care coordination and appropriate referrals to resources.
“I am so thankful I’m able to be home… I still have so much I want to do,” said one Veteran who moved from a VA-paid long-term care facility back to his own home with his wife of 67 years.
Improvements
In some cases, thanks to NHTH, Veterans who spent years in a nursing home without a discharge plan were able to return home or to a lesser level of care. Veterans enrolled in NHTH show improvements in both physical and emotional well-being, which in turn results in an overall improvement in their quality of life.
Initially, some family caregivers were conflicted about moving their loved ones out of a nursing home. “We were worried about how it would go and what issues we might face, but everything fell into place,” said one Veteran’s daughter. “The support we received from NHTH made it easy.”
By design, NHTH anticipates and eliminates potential care gaps and preventable concerns once the Veteran transitions home. “The process was seamless,” said one spouse.
When asked what the NHTH program meant to him, one Veteran said, “It has meant the world. Being in familiar surroundings, my home, I like it here. I’m happy here.”
Another Veteran replied simply, “Everything!”
For more information on resources for older Veterans, contact your local VA medical center or visit Geriatrics.
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I receive home Health Care for 8 hours a week and submitted a request for 20 hours a week since I pay for a private nurse assistant to also assist. It’s been over 2 months and I have not heard anything. Before you move out of a VA nursing home, Make sure that you have the necessary support. I use to hear that you would be dead within 6 months if you went to a VA nursing home. But I’m not sure if staying at home is any better.
I would like more information. Do nurses go to the house, how many hours per week, what are qualifications ?
I’m 89 with mobility problems I’m still mentally ok but this sounds good as it might keep me out of a horrible nursing home someday. I would like to know about it.
Too bad nobody ever responds to these type of comments. Tsk tsk tsk VA.
I think that it is about the best plan I’ve ever heard about. I am so grateful that the VA is taking care of its own people instead of some nursing home just ignoring us and making matters worse. GO VA!!!! I’m not in a nursing home but I know veterans that are and I see what goes on.