Brianne’s father David served in Vietnam. Many years later, after having a series of strokes, he needed long term care. David’s surviving daughter Brianne joined us to tell us about her father’s experience and her feeling about VA health care.
What do you tell other family members of Veterans about VA?
This is a wonderful country that wants to take care of the people who serve it. And I think that whether it’s a pride issue or wanting these benefits to be for other Veterans or [you’re] nervous about the process, VA makes it very easy and they want you to take advantage of it.
Brianne
Can you tell us about your father’s care?
He was in a long-term care facility in San Jose. Towards the end he wasn’t being treated very well there. And then VA stepped in, took care of him.
During that time, we had the speech therapist, the respiratory, social work, everything that was there, and very involved in his care. I couldn’t even tell you all the different kinds of people that VA provided that you wouldn’t even think of… the basic everyday care that somebody needs that they were able to provide. He had the best care, the best care you could possibly have around. And it was fantastic. They took care of their people and it was amazing. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the respect they gave him when he was passing and the way that they treated him every day. It has just lit a fire in me to always be with Veterans and do everything I can for Veterans. I appreciated everything that they did for him.
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So much to say…Vietnam vet.
VA health care has been negligent..if you care for your loved ones keep them away. There are Drs injuring vets in surgery and Noone on staff cares about it!
Janelle, you did NOT day IF the VA stepped in and took over at father’s current facility or transferred to the VA itself or a VA own facility. Did it have a mental staffing too?
David that is a male right? Yes it is.
He matters because of that.
I am post 9-11 and female. Secretary of VA doesn’t care much for my generation of veterans. He keeps slaughtering us by keeping medicine away that can help my brothers and sisters.
OFEV and Trelegy Ellipta for example. These two drugs the VHA refuses to carry despite the evidence that they work to reverse Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and Mild Constrictive Bronchiolitis.
They say they are good or better than civilians but I disagree. It was civilians who put me on this treatment algorithm which in part reversed the death track I was on.
If you value your life stay away from VHA.