Noteboom The Law Firm

New Foster Care Program Comforts Veterans

June 8, 2010 - Veterans deserve the very best care this country can bestow on them. The thought of spending the end of their lives inside an institution is not attractive to many. Fortunately, the Lebanon Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center runs a foster program specifically designed for veterans.

The foster home program is a federal program and new to Pennsylvania. So far only 6 homes containing 12 rooms in Berks County have been approved for participation in this program. In each home, veterans will be given access to both private bedrooms and private bathrooms.

The foster program provides 24-hour care with VA oversight. The ratio of caregiver to veteran in a foster home environment is far superior to that in institutions and foster care provides more services than an institution. Fees for the foster home are negotiable between the veterans and their host families, but the fees usually cover:   

• All home-cooked meals;
• Medication management;
• Help with bathing and dressing; and
• Transportation to the VA, the veteran's medical appointments, and church.

 There are currently 67 VA medical centers either running foster programs or are in the process of developing them covering 36 states. Despite the attractive nature of the program, and the comfort participants say it brings them, only 3 veterans have been moved into private homes in Berks County. 

It is a mystery why more veterans are not looking to get involved with this specific program. As word spreads, however, it is believed veterans will start applying to the program as they do in other parts of the country.