Medical nursing homes provide older veterans with a safe place to live

PARKVILLE – There are medical nursing homes for veterans across the country.

This is a place where older veterans can go as an alternative to a nursing home.

In Parkville, a medical nursing home is making a difference for some veterans.

Every day, Joann West can be found in her kitchen preparing meals and snacks.

She provides care for two military veterans who live with her.

For nearly two decades, she turned her home into a medical nursing home.

“There is a need for veterans. They have served this country and it is time for them to be served,” West said.

One of the veterinarians who lives there is 91-year-old Bob Kuntzman.

Before coming to West, he lived in motels on and off.

“Here you get a person who thinks about us and takes care of us. Where in a motel you never know what you’re going to get,” Kuntzman said.

The other vet who lives there is Ralph Stepney.

He has lived there for over a decade.

Before entering medical foster care, he was homeless and suffered a stroke.

“And I passed out in the street and somehow they ended up taking me away. The doctors took me to the VA hospital. They found out I was a veteran and since then they started treating me and getting me back to where I am today,” Stepney said.

Kuntzman and Stepney are just two people living in nursing homes across the state.

The VA Maryland Health Care System has homes for older vets who may have been homeless.

The goal is to provide veterinarians with a place to go so they can stay in their community.

Veterinarians pay room and board directly to caregivers, but the VA provides home health care.

“And we do lengthy applications, background checks, inspections, care inspections, fire and safety inspections, nutritionists, everything possible to make sure this is the best environment for that veteran,” said Sara Hoffman, VA Maryland social worker.

Kuntzman and Stepney say they are happy with their living conditions.

VA Maryland has five medical nursing homes throughout the Baltimore region.

Officials at the VA Maryland Health Care System say they are planning an expansion to add more medical nursing homes.

If you are interested in becoming a caregiver, you can contact Sara Hoffman.

You can reach her at [email protected].