Offering unique care options to Veterans

The Medical Foster Home Program places Veterans in private homes where dedicated caregivers, who are carefully selected and trained, provide 24-hour supervision, assistance with daily activities, and medical support in collaboration with VA Home-Based Primary Care teams. This combination creates a home environment where Veterans continue to receive high-quality care from the VA. The Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks (VHSO) currently has Medical Foster homes in Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma.  

Darla King, a Medical Foster Caregiver with the VHSO in Fort Smith, Arkansas, opened her home and her heart to Army Veteran Frank Barnes. Frank suffered a stroke in 2021. Although his children care deeply for him, they couldn’t provide the round-the-clock support he needed. Through the Medical Foster Home Program, Darla and Frank found each other, changing both their lives for the better in ways neither could have imagined.

“I love that I get to live in a home, not a facility. I have a better quality of life. I get to travel. I get to go out for dinner. I get to be a part of Darla’s family,” Frank shared with a smile. “If I wasn’t in this program, I’d just be sitting in my room day after day waiting for a nurse to give me my medications.”

With this foundation, Darla cares for Frank in every way: managing his medical and physical needs while nurturing his emotional well-being. VHSO Home-Based Primary Care team routinely visits Frank, providing comprehensive health care through doctors, nurses, social workers, and therapists. VHSO also supports Darla with ongoing training, guidance, and resources, creating an environment where both Darla and Frank can thrive.

For Darla, caring for Frank isn’t just a job, it’s personal. “I consider Frank a part of my family,” she said. She credited the strong support of the VHSO Medical Foster Home Program for making this experience possible. “I have a whole VHSO team behind me. I’m not doing this alone. Help is only a phone call away, for Frank or for me.”

By becoming a Medical Foster Home caregiver, Darla is proud to give back to our nation’s heroes. “I wanted to be a part of giving hope back to those Veterans who have given up so much for our country,” she explained. “I know I couldn’t serve as they did, but I knew I could do this.”

If you have room in your home and your heart, consider joining the VHSO Medical Foster Home program. The support is strong, the impact is real, and the bonds formed are truly life changing.

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