Dayton VA Medical Center Opens New Facility Caring for Veterans as They Near the End of Their Journey
Tucked away at the end of Illinois Avenue on the Dayton VA campus sits Victory Ridge, a newly built facility for Veteran patients. Its use is for those who require hospice or palliative care and is being utilized to better the lives of Veterans and their families.
Hospice care is specialized care that provides physical comfort and emotional, social, and spiritual support for people nearing the end of life. For family of veterans the facility is truly a wonderful place.
“It’s great, everybody I've talked to here is wonderful, I can't get over how the nurses and everybody is so kind that we appreciate it so much,” said Wilma Shupe, whose Air Force Veteran husband resides at the facility. “And I don't worry about him when I go home in the evening, and I know he's taken care of.”
Teams at the facility include doctors, nurses and social workers who provide care that centers on comfort and dignity in a healing environment. Staff provide round-the-clock nursing care and other services that a Veteran may need, such as recreational or respiratory therapy, along with various other services available on site.
“There's a lot of teaching and support that goes not only to the Veteran but to the family as well,” said Dr. Robert Morrison, Chief of Geriatrics and Extended Care Services, “and we're here to provide that comfort to them during the final days they have.”
Palliative care is about living your best life whatever stage a person is in. A lot of Veterans who are referred to palliative care may have a chronic illness or have experienced a dramatic event such as heart attack or stroke, according to Morrison.
This care is about the best care for where a Veteran is at that time. Staff concentrate on things such as, pain control, quality of life and nutrition. The Dayton VA has a very active clinic that is staffed by palliative and hospice board certified doctors along with continually rotating palliative care fellows to provide care to Veterans.
“Care here is absolutely the best”, said Joan Scott, whose husband also resides at the facility. “The best, beautiful facility. It's gorgeous.”
The name of the facility comes from Dayton VA Veterans who were heavily involved in the naming of all campus neighborhoods. It had been planned for several years prior to its Nov. 1 opening and construction took roughly four years to complete. Victory Ridge is separate from the well-known Community Living Center on the VA campus. Currently, the facility has seven patients with a capacity of 11.
“We are thrilled to have this beautiful new facility on our campus taking care of our Veterans,” said Dr. Jennifer DeFrancesco, Interim Medical Center Director. “There is no more noble task than ensuring that a Veteran receive the vital care they need, especially when reach the end of their journey. We are truly humbled to be a part of that process and take great pride in our care providers who serve both the Veteran and their family members.”