Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Grand Rapids Home for Veterans: Creating a Hostile Enviroment for Vets.

The Home is creating a hostile environment for veterans. 6 Months ago we had a meeting with the new Colonel, who is running Michigan Veterans affairs. He told us that they wanted to make the rooms into 2 man rooms so that we had some space for each of us, and not just a bed, and dresser.

Now that they have shut down the 4th floor in the McKleish building, they are moving geriatric patients up to the Dormitory unit that should not be there. Guys with wheel chairs, power chairs, and guys that need constant supervision. Most Dom Unit rooms are "4 man rooms" with no extra space. Now they are filling the rooms to 3 man level, making a tense environment. Many of the guys do not want to move into their new rooms, as they have no space for personal items.

The Dormitory unit at GRH4V is for people who need minimum nursing care, and who can medicate themselves, and usually do not have Power wheel chairs, or any kind of a wheel chair.

Ever since GRH4V started closing down the 4th floor of the McKleish building, they have been stacking people into rooms. Rooms that might be good for 4 bed ridden people, are barely enough room for 2 ambulatory people. Also, every veteran here was told that they were going to try to make the rooms into 2 man rooms, with extra living space.

Most people on Dom Unit have 10 feet by 10 feet for their bed, Dresser and small table. Some use that space to stack up storage bins, so they have extra clothing or for other personal items. A few have a small desk, and a chair. The chair must be moved out of the way so the person can get to their bed and dresser though. Also they have a closet that is 20 inches across, 22 inches deep and 78 inches (6 foot 6 inches) high. And that is all the room we have. Or about 120 Cubic feet of living space which includes your storage space. There is a central walk way that is about 5 feet wide, and a common sink next to the lockers, and a common toilet room with an additional sink. And this is supposed to be a 4 man room, each having the same amount of space. 120 Feet is not enough, if you ask me.

Now they are moving people from the Nursing units, to the Dom Unit, and we are all ready full, IF they keep to their rule of 2 people to a room. All but 3 rooms on Dom unit have 3 people in them. 2 on 3rd floor, and 1 on 2nd floor. It makes for very tight living (if you can call it living). The guys barely have enough room for clothing, let alone anything else.

Today they moved a Geriatric patient into our room. He has both a wheel chair, and a walker, and there is no room to put them anywhere, except where he or us, have to walk, so why are they putting him on the Dom unit?

Not only that, but the guy is a DRUNK. They put him into a room with 2 non drinkers. We are NOT going to babysit this jerk.

The stupid care givers started nosing around my roommate and I's bed area, looking for something.. I got pissed and threw the curtain back for privacy and told them they had no business looking into my or the other mans area.

The guy got angry for not having any space for his stuff and cussed out 2 nurses and 2 aids. Called them everything but the C word.. He did not want to move. And no one warned him. As it was, my Roommate and I got just 2 hours warning. He is not happy and this leads to a stressful environment.

They have a storage room here for extra stuff, but unless you have a lockable trunk or something that can be locked, anything put in that room is subject to being vandalized or stolen, even though the room is locked and a nurse is required to access it.

We now have 5 people transferred from the other units to this unit. 1 gets lost in a toilet room, another is in a power wheel chair and needs help taking a shower. A 3rd person has had the same clothing on since he came here, (this is another stinker, besides the one already reported here that has had the same stuff on since last September). A 4th person has a walker, but cannot dress himself properly.. yet they are on the Dom unit. They need to be in a nursing care unit.

Guys are starting to think they are going to try to squeeze us Dom guys out. This not good, due to the fact that the state government has determined that we no longer qualify for housing vouchers, even though we are classified as being homeless.

What is going on at the veterans home?! Someone needs to come in here and investigate this place.

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