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About the Need
overview
 We
must be there for our living heroes during their hour of greatest need. It is no surprise
to anyone that aging is a difficult process. We see it within our own families, among our
friends, on the street and in the news. The inevitable weakening of once-strong bodies
and minds leaves the elderly faced with complex issues at precisely the time in their lives
when they're least capable of responding. Long term care exacts a high emotional and financial
toll on patients, family and professional staff alike and is considered to be one of today's
most specialized and demanding health care services. Veterans homes exist to help America's
living heroes through this difficult passage with dignity and at a greatly reduced cost.
Long term care is one of the most demanding health services.
The demand for quality long term veteran care is growing at an astounding rate. Our nation
faces the largest aging veteran population in its history. Today, roughly 10 million veterans
are aged 65 and over, about 39 percent of all the veterans in America. This proportion
will remain unchanged for the next 20 years. The number of veterans aged 85 and over will
have increased by 600 percent from 1990 to 2010 and will total nearly two million in all.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has now designated the state veterans homes system
as its primary provider of long term care service. One hundred new homes are slated to
be built in the next 10 years, but even with such aggressive expansion, the demands for
service will continue to far exceed the supply.
By 2010, the number of veterans aged 85 and older will
have increased by 600%.
America's veterans homes face serious resource shortfalls. Ideally, home costs are shared
equally by the Department of Veterans Affairs, state governments and residents. The reality
is that 11 states currently provide little or no funding for their veterans home. And the
others now face the worst fiscal crisis in 20 years, with two thirds of the states now
reporting substantial cuts in programs serving low-income residents, including veterans.
In addition, nearly every home relies on support from its local veterans community to supplement
its resources. Homes commonly log thousands of hours of veteran volunteer time each year,
the equivalent of a significant number of full-time paid staff. But these veterans who
contribute so generously of their time are dying at an alarming rate. An estimated 700,000
will die this year, and far fewer veterans will be there to follow in their footsteps.
Critical resources for the homes are declining - or soon
will be.
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