Governor's Column

Get to Know the Division of Veterans Homes By Governor Dave Heineman December 23, 2009 Dear Fellow Nebraskans: Providing quality care and services for Nebraska’s veterans is the top priority of the Division of Veterans Homes. Nebraska operates four homes in communities across the state providing a comfortable place for many of our national heroes to call home. Located in Bellevue, Grand Island, Norfolk, and Scottsbluff, these four facilities are home to approximately 540 veterans and their spouses. They are home to veterans who have served in nearly every U.S. conflict since World War II. Ensuring that veterans are living well is the commitment of the staff, administrators at each home and Director John Hilgert. These homes provide opportunities for veterans to live their lives to the fullest with specialized services tailored to fit their needs. Services range from recreational opportunities for those needing little assistance to physical therapy and skilled nursing care for those with Alzheimer’s. Caring for Nebraska veterans’ dates back more than a century when the Grand Island Veterans’ Home, first opened in 1887. It remains the largest veterans home in the state with approximately 200 residents. The newest veterans’ home is the Eastern Nebraska Veterans’ Home in Bellevue, which opened in 2007. Personnel from Offutt Air Force Base helped move veterans into their new home. The Bellevue home was designed around a central courtyard with four units that accommodate the different needs of veterans. Residents benefit from the support and involvement of Nebraska’s veterans organizations, which donate time, money and companionship to help veterans maintain a connection to the community. Each home also benefits from the support of the surrounding community. Volunteers and family veterans help with special projects that improve the grounds and services of residents. The foundation for the Norfolk Veterans’ Home is raising funds for the Heroes Park, which will provide an outdoor garden space accessible to veterans, their families and visitors to enjoy. This year, the Western Nebraska Veterans’ Home Foundation received donations from service organizations, banks and other private donors to help restore a pond that is a favorite spot for veterans. Our veterans home staff helps ensure that our veterans are well cared for. I know from my visits to our veterans homes that the staff considers it a privilege to support and care for the individuals who helped preserve freedom for their families and our nation. Our medical personnel, staff and volunteers provide quality services for our veterans and their families. From quality of life issues to medical care, ratings for each home have been strong for several years now. Surveys from 2008 showed that 96 percent of veterans thought their living environment was comfortable and that more than 90 percent would recommend their veterans home to others. Admission to Nebraska’s veterans homes is determined by an independent board made up of representatives of veterans organizations in the state. Application information is available on the division’s website, www.dhhs.ne.gov/vets, or by contacting a local county veteran service officer for assistance. In Nebraska, we value the sacrifices made by our veterans. Providing the best care available is one important way we pay tribute to our veterans, and I appreciate the services that our four veterans homes provide to the men and women who have defended our country.