Grand Rapids Home for Veterans

A Caring Place

The Grand Rapids Home for Veterans is an important health care benefit available to Michigan veterans and their dependents who served their country in time of war. Whether a member has severe disabilities or minor limitations, the Home provides high quality, long-term nursing care and a clean, safe, and caring place to live.

The primary objective of each member's care plan is to restore health and maintain functions. To accomplish this, the professional staff and dedicated volunteers  focus on members' abilities rather than disabilities. Members are encouraged to function at their maximum level so they can live life to the fullest, with dignity.

It's important to remember the facility is not a hospital, though medical care is provided. It truly is a home - a place for men and women to live and be part of an active community of veterans.

Services

The Home provides four levels of care:

	Skilled Nursing Care - For the person with severe disabilities requiring continuous nursing care and supervision.
	Basic Nursing Care - For the person with moderate disabilities.
	Domiciliary Unit - For the person who needs little nursing care, but has some limitations that require a  structured environment.
	Special Needs Unit - For the person with Alzheimer's Disease or other diseases of aging.

The Home provides the following services:

Nursing Services	Activity Services	Psychological Services
Pharmacy	Laundry	EKG
Respiratory Therapy	Service Officers	Social Work
Exercise Therapy	Volunteer Services	Nutrition Services
Recreation Therapy	Adult Education	Psychiatric Services
Occupational Therapy	Pastoral Care	Recreation Therapy
Rehabilitation	Laboratory Services	Vocational Placement
	Pet Therapy

 Full-time staff physicians work on-site at the Home. If a member needs to be hospitalized for surgery or another emergency, he or she is transferred to a local hospital.

Additional services are available on a fee-for-service or insurance coverage basis:

	Specialty Clinics in Surgery; Genital/Urinary, Orthopedics, Colo-Rectal Disease
	Dental Services (partial fee)
	Vision Services (partial fee)
	Podiatry
	Barber
	Beautician

Meeting Individual Needs

The Home is dedicated to providing individualized care. By determining the unique needs and desires of each member, we tailor treatment and programs to foster independence.

Various levels of care are offered. The appropriate level is determined by the Home's on-site physician and professional staff following a comprehensive medical evaluation.

Every person admitted to the Home is also thoroughly evaluated by social services, nursing, dietary and therapy professionals to determine abilities and disabilities. From this comprehensive assessment, we derive a care plan. The plan is re-evaluated every 90 days to measure progress. Adjustments to the plan are then made to accommodate any new needs.

Staying Active

The Home provides fun and therapeutic activities in the Home and in the community. Many of these are made possible by the hundreds of volunteers who generously contribute their time and energy.

There's an all-purpose room for music, bingo, and other events. The billiard room and library are also popular gathering places. The woodworking shop and craft room let
members put their artistic and creative skills to work, and art shows and sales are held. Off-site excursions take members on shopping trips and to the movies.

Outside, there's plenty of room to enjoy nature. In the summer, the Home has outdoor carnivals, musical performances, and special ceremonies honoring veterans.

Members' religious needs are met by the Home's Catholic priest and Protestant minister. Services are held in the Home's lovely chapel. 

 Before a member is admitted, a benefits counselor works with the family to help with all the financial arrangements necessary for an easy transition. Members are required to pay what they can, determined on an individual basis. Factors considered include the level of care required, ability to pay, and dependency status.

How to Apply

Admission Applications are available at Livingston County Veterans Affairs, the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans, hospital social service departments, Veterans Administration Medical Centers, veterans' organizations representatives, County Counselor's, and the Michigan Veterans Trust Fund.

Questions? Call 1-800-MICH VET 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Eligibility

To be eligible, a veteran must be a Michigan resident or a Michigan Veteran and have served honorably for at least 90 days, or have been honorably discharged prior to 90 days due to a service-related disability. A veteran must have been on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces during a period of war.

A spouse, widow(er) or parent of an eligible veteran may also be a member.

Eligibility dates: 

The Grand Rapids Home for veterans is a state institution operated under the Michigan Department of Military Affairs.

THE GRAND RAPIDS HOME FOR VETERANS

If you have questions or would like an admissions application, call 1-800-MICH VET.