Erie Veterans Affairs Medical Center will soon offer a Medical Foster Care program for veterans, and hospital officials are looking for hosts.
The VA program, which started 22 years ago in the western United States, is designed for qualified veterans who require a nursing home-level of care. Instead of living in a long-term care facility, they reside in a private home with a designated caregiver.
“There is such a need for nursing homes and there simply aren’t enough beds,” said Kamie Mazza, Medical Foster Home coordinator for the Erie VAMC. “It also benefits the veteran, who is able to live in a home environment.”
The program has expanded to 46 states and territories, with more than 700 veterans and about 500 caregivers enrolled. The Cleland Dole Act, passed in December 2022, requires every VA health system to offer the program by the end of 2025.
Mazza has not placed any veterans in the program yet. She is currently interviewing potential caregivers.
“We are looking for people who can make a commitment for 24/7 nursing home-level care,” Mazza said. “They can have either formal or informal experience in caregiving, such as being a retired nurse for a group home, or someone who was the primary caregiver for a loved one.”