VA has plenty of beds

Dear editor:

We would like to correct information that was sent to the editor by Mr. Jim Breslin of the DAV.

First of all, let me say that the Idaho State Veterans Home -- Boise is grateful to all Veterans Service Organizations that support the Boise Home with donations of time and money. Indeed the three Veterans Homes in Idaho are among the best supported by our communities and Veterans Service Organizations in the nation.

We are reminded daily of the support of Mountain Home Air Force Base and the Mountain Home community. Further, our governor, our national congressional delegation and our state legislators have made it a priority to give the homes what they need to provide outstanding care to our veterans. We admire the support of our leaders and are grateful for this solid unwavering commitment.

We do have a "Bed for Vets" program administered through the Idaho Veterans Assistance League that compliments our own capital outlay budget requests in the replacement of all beds in the home with new "high-low" electric beds to enhance our service to veterans. This program is approximately 2/3 complete. We welcome donations to this very valuable and helpful program.

With this in mind it is important that the public understand several facts:

1) The Idaho State Veterans Home -- Boise will never turn away eligible veterans who need nursing home care due to a lack of beds in the home. The only time that this potentially could occur is if we were at 100 percent occupancy. The home is not at 100 percent occupancy today. We have 167 fully functional beds at the home of which 131 of these beds are for skilled care. and 36 beds are residential/domiciliary care beds. These beds, with their special mattresses, are allocated to Veterans throughout the home according to the needs of each individual veteran.

2) While all of us in state government and in the private sector have had to "tighten our belts" with the current economic reality, we have not cut costs where veterans are concerned in the provision of essential services like sleeping accommodations, food, medicine, nursing care, etc.

3) Thank your governor, congressmen and state legislators for their outstanding support of veterans. We at the home are grateful for that marvelous support.

4) Your donations to the Idaho Veterans Assistance League do make a very positive difference in the lives of our veterans. We can and do find projects to improve our serve to Veterans nearly every day.

5) Thank you Veterans Services Organizations for your continued support. It means a great deal to all the Veterans, families and staff.

James Roberts

Administrator -- Idaho State Veterans Home -- Boise