The Medical Foster Program, a program that connects aging disabled veterans with families who can house them, has been helping former servicemembers find care.
According to The Associated Press, the program is designed for soldiers who need nursing home-type daily care but would rather not move into one, since they are often large and impersonal. The initiative began 15 years ago in association with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The VA carefully chooses which homes are eligible to participate, noted the source. Each household is carefully inspected by a nurse, social worker, safety inspector, rehabilitation therapist and dietician. All of the potential caretakers are examined by a thorough FBI background check in addition to a meticulous screening. The homes are regularly subject to unannounced visits from VA professionals. Currently, the program houses 900 vets in 45 different states. Overall, the Medical Foster Program has been responsible for finding homes for almost 2,700 former servicemembers, many of whom have no family left, noted The AP.
According to the VA, veterans who are interested in enrolling in the program should check with a VA worker to see if they meet eligibility guidelines. The source noted that the cost of the program, which includes room, board and health care, usually falls between $1,500 to $3,000 per month, depending on how much care the veteran needs and what his or her income level is.
While many former soldiers are tentative to move in with strangers, the situations often end up feeling familial. This was certainly the case for Eileen Merize and the disabled soldiers she has taken into her home. The former nursing home worker decided to participate in the program after her children moved out. She believes the experience has been positive for both her and the veterans she cares for.
"I believe they should be treated like human beings, and family," Merize told The AP.