[Kat]
...though they don't necessarily relate to statistics or direct accounting lines.
From the long list of stories on Vet Affairs yesterday, I caught this story:
Decision to impact veterans who ride VA vans
The letter to the editor discusses how the decision was made to discontinue providing one free meal to veterans who ride the bus to their appointments. The money was coming from a Volunteer Pool Fund. The head of the VA Volunteers decided to cut the program and made a recommendation up the line of command, so to speak. There is no indication of what condition the VPF is in financially or what the money that would be saved would be used for instead.
But, these sentences caught my attention:
This is truly an example of the adage win the battle, lose the war. It may be seen as a win for the Martinsburg VAMC, but clearly a loss for our veterans who rely on this service, as well as look forward to it.[snip]By way of additional background, the majority of veterans who ride these vans do so as a last resort. They are on extremely limited incomes, and they do not have the luxury of having their kids or grandkids/friends to drive them to these appointments. In fact, several of them do not have living relatives to assist them in their time of need.
There are real benefits to these programs, though they do not show a direct positive impact through any statistics or accounting lines. Thus, its pretty easy to overlook those benefits and cut these kinds of programs through nothing more than "fiscal" considerations.
I believe that this VA and others like it should consider the purpose and benefits of these programs.
[continued in flash traffic]
Last summer I delivered some Soldiers' Angels Vet Packs to the KC VAMC along with some other items to the Volunteer Coordinator. We had a long talk about what their program needed and how they used the items they received. One of the things that had noted as an important need was money for bus passes. They would give needy veterans two bus passes: one to go home on and one to return on. When they came back, they received two more passes for the same.
This money was available totally by funds provided through different charities and veterans' organizations like the American Legion. They provided these bus passes to insure that these veterans could make it to their appointments. Not all vets have access to DAV buses in the time frames that their appointments existed. By insuring veterans could get to their appointments for routine check ups, follow ups and treatments these veterans receive continuous care and help to maintain their over all health. The end result for the VA is a potential reduction in catastrophic illnesses through better preventative care. That's a direct benefit to the Vets and to the VA's over all budget, allowing them to provide other important care and services.
We talked briefly about how they used the Soldiers' Angels mugs through their home psyche outreach program as "incentives" to get vets to either come in for their treatments or to get them to see the outreach team when they come to their home. The entire program is geared towards getting vets the care they need now so they don't have to see them later for something worse or, in this case, the vets stop taking their meds or getting treatment so they can't take care of themselves and either end up in some institution or homeless.
So, I have a very good idea about what the "free meal" program was used for and exactly what benefit it really gave for both the veterans and the VAMC. That benefit isn't just some financially fragile vets getting a free meal. It has everything to do with insuring that these vets who, upon riding the bus, would be stuck at the VA for some hours waiting for their appointment and transportation home. If they don't have a meal in that time, some of them may decide that it's too much of a pain to come in at all. Others may be medically fragile and require meals at specific times. Diabetes is a huge problem with the aged veteran population and many are taking insulin that also requires regular meals.
As noted, many vets are economically fragile and may not be able to afford to eat at the cafeteria on their own funds. Or, out at a fast food place. That's if there are any near by or the neighborhood the VAMC is in is safe or, finally, if the vet can transport themselves to the restaurant. All of these things would actually have an impact on the decision making of a veteran who knows that a trip to the VA is going to be a long or all day event.
If they go, they might not get a meal. If they stay home, they'll get a meal, not be at the VA all day. Besides, many reason, they aren't feeling that sick. Maybe next time. Anyone who has dealt with the elderly at all knows that is exactly what happens in the decision making process.
The problem, of course, is that there is no direct accounting line between those "fringe" benefits of free meals and the end savings to the health of the veterans or the budget. That makes it easy to overlook those benefits and see them as nothing more than financial drains.
But, they do have real, tangible benefits that it would behoove this VAMC and others like it to consider when they are evaluating these programs.
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