Let me make it perfectly clear. THIS blog is about getting changes made to the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans that will benefit ALL veterans, now and in the future. It is here to bring to light issues that are not being given the attention due to them.
While this blog may read as being a bit opinionated, its intention is to report and reflect the truth, even if that truth depends on ones own perspective of a given situation.
Let me make it perfectly clear, that this Veteran and many more appreciate what the people of Michigan have done for us, by giving this place to call our home, even if it no longer functions as a home. For giving us some health care, even if this place is no hospital. The Homeless veterans in Rankin Dormitory unit who have the cost of their stay paid in part by the Michigan Veterans Trust fund, openly thank the people of Michigan for their gift which allows these veterans to have a warm place to sleep.
However, that aside, let us get to the real meat of the situation. The fact is, this place is costing both veterans and the Michigan taxpayers more than it should.
After 10 years of Recession, during which the 8 years of the Granholm government continuously raised taxes on a dwindling population, and dwindling work force, this state is in financial crisis. All of us, both taxpayer, and state workers, need to do more with less. The taxpayer needs to get a bigger bang for his/her tax dollar, and the state workers need to get more done with a tax dollar.,
Case in point, Rankin Dormitory unit. Cost: 3,100.00 per month plus medical prescriptions. If the member of the Dom unit (as it is called) is classified as a homeless vet with no income, the home applies for medicaid. This pays for prescriptions.
Most vets in Dom unit have a 7 foot by 8 foot area for a bed, dresser and small table, and also have access to a small closet that is about 2 foot square by 6 foot high.
Considering that 100 dollars per week is a good food budget for 400.00 a month.
A local apartment complex rents a 800 sq foot 2 bedroom apartment for 600 a month, at a cost of about 75 cents per square foot. So, using that as an example, the 7x8 foot bed area should cost our veteran about 42 dollars.
The toilet room is communal, as the veterans are in 4 man rooms, the toilet room being about 7x7 or 49 sq foot, and there is 1 shower room per floor, with 4 showers, used by all members on that floor,. Add another 49sq. There are common day rooms, 2 each on each floor shared by members, and all Dom unit people have to go down to the main dining hall to have meals, none are served on unit.
Using our apartment as an example, and dividing the cost of the common areas by 4, we have 98 sq feet of common area, and 56 sq ft of personal area. The common areas should only cost about 18.50 per month.
Therefore 400 for food, 42 dollars for personal area, and 18.50 for common areas, leaves 460.50 for the cost of being here. The members get to see a doctor twice a week, but most do not. and there are 2, full time nurses that work full 8 hour shifts. So if the cost of space and meals is only 460, how can the home justify the remaining 2,639.50? Is that what members pay for medication that is supposed to be covered by medicaid?
Seems a bit pricy to me. A person can live at the apartment complex for 600 dollars a month for a 2 bedroom, bath and a half, 800 sq foot apartment, heat included. Add their food bill of 400 a month, and you have 1000. Add electric bill of 45, Phone of 45, cable TV of 60, and their costs is still less than 1200.00.
3100 - 1200 is 1900 dollars. A person could make a new car payment of 500s and still have 1400 left to help pay medical expenses.
This is why we say that this place is costing taxpayers too much.. it should not cost anyone more than 1200 or so to live in the Dom unit, plus medical which for most of us, is covered by medicare.
Give us the 2100 tax free, and save taxpayers 1000 a month and we will live like a king and save taxpayers money. Give the home 3100, and they waste it.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Judge Murkowski goes Ballastic, Claims he is helping veterans, how we don't know.
Unfortunately I did not get to go to the hearing for Cheryl Ware's contempt of court. I hear I would have seen some fire works. I had a medical issue that had to be attended to.
Apparently ONE of you people are copying every thing I write in this blog, and took copies of it to the Judge who blew a gasket upon reading it. - GOOD. It shows a true level of unprofessionalism. Instead of blowing a gasket you should have merely commented that you are trying to help veterans and that the person who wrote this blog must be misunderstanding things. But the fact that you got angry, tells me that you are knowingly NOT protecting veterans. And, probably doing things you are not supposed to be doing as a judge, too.
Well, if the truth hurts, stop doing the stuff that gets you into trouble Mr. Murkowski.. What I am doing here is called FREEDOM OF SPEECH, one of the very first rights GUARANTEED (protected) by this nations charter and by Michigan States Charter.
Mr. Murkowski, if you are for the veterans, then how do you justify your court order that was tearing the Ware family apart, not letting them have contact with each other? How is that "being for veterans"?!!
And how do you account for the way your guardians are stealing from veterans? Did you make Cynthia Thornbury explain the 31,000 dollars she stole from Richard Ware's bank account to pay for an attorney to get him a divorce from his wife? Did you make her explain what she did with the proceeds from the sale of Richards car? No?
Did you make Thornbury explain why Fred Plicta does NOT have access to his money and why she closed down his bank account at the local Chase bank? No? Then how are you for the veterans?
And who ever heard of a contempt of court charge costing someone 2 thousand dollars because they were given the wrong court date to appear? THEN you twisted that into something else so that you could judiciously steal a larger sum of money from Mrs and Mr. Ware. -- They are still married! 3 days to pay 5,000 or so in fines? Are you out of your frigging mind? Are you willfully committing treason against the people of Michigan while claiming to serve them? How is this serving Veterans? How is tearing apart their family serving The general public or that veteran? YOU JUDGE Murkowski, are the one who has created this picture, not us. If our perception is wrong, it is because of how YOU handled the case. We see the results. And Results speak louder than intentions or words.
I for one hope the information that I was given was wrong.. As soon as I get a copy of the court order, I will make corrections to this blog entry, IF any are needed. I am sure I will get a copy sooner or later. All I have to do is sit and be patient and someone will sooner or later, show me a copy.
And that is just ONE of many guardians under your control that are SCREWING OVER the veterans they supposedly serve. I am sure there are many more, by what we have seen.
I am told it was Karen Fuji who took the copies of this blog to the court room. Information gathered indicates that Karen Fuji is one who suggested Cynthia Thornbury to be the Guardian of Richard Ware and a number of other veterans.
Sources are telling me that Karen Fuji is some how connected with Thornbury and Murkowski, and that Fuji is part of the problem, not the solution. Perhaps Fuji needs to be brought to task to explain how her apparent friend Thornbury is helping veterans by stealing from them.
Maybe Fuji is just another example of the useless overpaid so called Counselors here, that sit on their duffs and do nothing more than push paper work around so it looks like they are doing something while collecting salaries of over 50 thousand per year from Michigan Taxpayers. - And Lansing wonders where it can cut the budget? Start here, with these nearly worthless counselors.
Apparently ONE of you people are copying every thing I write in this blog, and took copies of it to the Judge who blew a gasket upon reading it. - GOOD. It shows a true level of unprofessionalism. Instead of blowing a gasket you should have merely commented that you are trying to help veterans and that the person who wrote this blog must be misunderstanding things. But the fact that you got angry, tells me that you are knowingly NOT protecting veterans. And, probably doing things you are not supposed to be doing as a judge, too.
Well, if the truth hurts, stop doing the stuff that gets you into trouble Mr. Murkowski.. What I am doing here is called FREEDOM OF SPEECH, one of the very first rights GUARANTEED (protected) by this nations charter and by Michigan States Charter.
Mr. Murkowski, if you are for the veterans, then how do you justify your court order that was tearing the Ware family apart, not letting them have contact with each other? How is that "being for veterans"?!!
And how do you account for the way your guardians are stealing from veterans? Did you make Cynthia Thornbury explain the 31,000 dollars she stole from Richard Ware's bank account to pay for an attorney to get him a divorce from his wife? Did you make her explain what she did with the proceeds from the sale of Richards car? No?
Did you make Thornbury explain why Fred Plicta does NOT have access to his money and why she closed down his bank account at the local Chase bank? No? Then how are you for the veterans?
And who ever heard of a contempt of court charge costing someone 2 thousand dollars because they were given the wrong court date to appear? THEN you twisted that into something else so that you could judiciously steal a larger sum of money from Mrs and Mr. Ware. -- They are still married! 3 days to pay 5,000 or so in fines? Are you out of your frigging mind? Are you willfully committing treason against the people of Michigan while claiming to serve them? How is this serving Veterans? How is tearing apart their family serving The general public or that veteran? YOU JUDGE Murkowski, are the one who has created this picture, not us. If our perception is wrong, it is because of how YOU handled the case. We see the results. And Results speak louder than intentions or words.
I for one hope the information that I was given was wrong.. As soon as I get a copy of the court order, I will make corrections to this blog entry, IF any are needed. I am sure I will get a copy sooner or later. All I have to do is sit and be patient and someone will sooner or later, show me a copy.
And that is just ONE of many guardians under your control that are SCREWING OVER the veterans they supposedly serve. I am sure there are many more, by what we have seen.
I am told it was Karen Fuji who took the copies of this blog to the court room. Information gathered indicates that Karen Fuji is one who suggested Cynthia Thornbury to be the Guardian of Richard Ware and a number of other veterans.
Sources are telling me that Karen Fuji is some how connected with Thornbury and Murkowski, and that Fuji is part of the problem, not the solution. Perhaps Fuji needs to be brought to task to explain how her apparent friend Thornbury is helping veterans by stealing from them.
Maybe Fuji is just another example of the useless overpaid so called Counselors here, that sit on their duffs and do nothing more than push paper work around so it looks like they are doing something while collecting salaries of over 50 thousand per year from Michigan Taxpayers. - And Lansing wonders where it can cut the budget? Start here, with these nearly worthless counselors.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Guitars for Veterans burned by poor GRH4V Administration
This makes me very angry. I really get upset and get irritated when some group of rejects horn in on the accomplishments of others, and trying to take even partial credit for their success just burns me up. Makes me want to go slap some sense into their thick heads.
Apparently the Local Chapter of Guitars for Veterans held a Memorial Day Fund Raiser, at a local VFW post in Grandville Michigan. Members of the GRH4V Guitar for Veterans Class were invited to go, and buss was scheduled for them to use.
That's where the poor administrating garbage started .
Apparently some Belvue Genius thought that ANY veteran was invited, and they loaded up the buss with non Guitar class members. There was no room for the class members, so the veterans who took the class, did not get to go. Then a few volunteers used their own cars to take a few of the class members to the fund raiser. Not everyone who wanted to go from the class, was able to.
In fact, one of the member-instructors has told me that he posted the information on Rankin 3, three different times and each time the information was torn down by someone.
This is not the only time in recent weeks that this administration has tried to horn in on the activities planned for, paid for, and executed by people OTHER than the Home's activity personnel who can't even handle a proper bingo, let alone something as complicated as a fund raiser.
And this is becoming the NORMAL operating procedure for the home.. I just learned of ANOTHER example of extremely poor judgement on behalf of the Temporary Administer, Sara Dunn, and serves as another example of why she must be replaced.
Apparently the Local Chapter of Guitars for Veterans held a Memorial Day Fund Raiser, at a local VFW post in Grandville Michigan. Members of the GRH4V Guitar for Veterans Class were invited to go, and buss was scheduled for them to use.
That's where the poor administrating garbage started .
Apparently some Belvue Genius thought that ANY veteran was invited, and they loaded up the buss with non Guitar class members. There was no room for the class members, so the veterans who took the class, did not get to go. Then a few volunteers used their own cars to take a few of the class members to the fund raiser. Not everyone who wanted to go from the class, was able to.
In fact, one of the member-instructors has told me that he posted the information on Rankin 3, three different times and each time the information was torn down by someone.
This is not the only time in recent weeks that this administration has tried to horn in on the activities planned for, paid for, and executed by people OTHER than the Home's activity personnel who can't even handle a proper bingo, let alone something as complicated as a fund raiser.
And this is becoming the NORMAL operating procedure for the home.. I just learned of ANOTHER example of extremely poor judgement on behalf of the Temporary Administer, Sara Dunn, and serves as another example of why she must be replaced.
Monday, May 28, 2012
J's memorial day lunch at GRH4V
His so called steak was half fat and Grizzle.
AND This is what they call GOOD food here.
The staff should hang their heads in SHAME.
GRH4V kitchen: This is a steak?!!
First, a 6 inch long, 2 inch wide, 1/4th inch "new york strip" steak. 2with 1/2 inch fat and grizzle along one edge.
A scoop of Cheesy potatoes cooked so much they were like mush.
1, 1/3rd piece of corn on the cob that is so cooked, you can gum it off the cob,
And last of course, crushed garlic bread.
And yes, everything was served at room temperature. Only Hot thing served was coffee, if you chose it.
And this is a special Holiday meal.
Tonight's supper: Hot dogs and baked beans..Fat and more fat.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Saturday 26 May 2012 Supper - how pathetic.
This is what they are feeding us! Pretty pathetic, right? And we the veterans have to PAY for this.
I forgot to mention, the soup was room temperature.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
GRH4V: Crime in progress, Lost hero's
This list will contain the names of people and organizations that have either been driven out, kicked out, or have left and/or stopped making donations to GRH4V because of the poor administration and its policies. It will be updated as information becomes available.
1. Elks club.
2. Purple Heart Association.
3. Don Kramer of Purple Heart
4. Kevin and his dog Nevaeh whom members loved, and who grew up from a puppy while coming here.
5. Bill, Elks club Volunteer who helped run Kozy Korners for years.
6. Knights of Columbus decided NOT to make a huge donation after they learned of missing donations.
7. Michigan DAV Group, is still giving 5 dollar bingo's over the objections of the administration.
8. Big John and his Mom, and family who ran the clothing room and who where driven out of the clothing room, still volunteer here at Kozy Korners and Poker. The administration claims they quit - they did not, and the new clothing room is a disgrace to all of us.
9. J & J, VFW Post ___ made a Christmas donation that never got to veterans until after they inquired. If they had not, we would never have gotten their Christmas gift. And we got it 3 weeks after Christmas.
More as info becomes available.
If anyone knows of any group that belongs on this list, please leave a comment.
1. Elks club.
2. Purple Heart Association.
3. Don Kramer of Purple Heart
4. Kevin and his dog Nevaeh whom members loved, and who grew up from a puppy while coming here.
5. Bill, Elks club Volunteer who helped run Kozy Korners for years.
6. Knights of Columbus decided NOT to make a huge donation after they learned of missing donations.
7. Michigan DAV Group, is still giving 5 dollar bingo's over the objections of the administration.
8. Big John and his Mom, and family who ran the clothing room and who where driven out of the clothing room, still volunteer here at Kozy Korners and Poker. The administration claims they quit - they did not, and the new clothing room is a disgrace to all of us.
9. J & J, VFW Post ___ made a Christmas donation that never got to veterans until after they inquired. If they had not, we would never have gotten their Christmas gift. And we got it 3 weeks after Christmas.
More as info becomes available.
If anyone knows of any group that belongs on this list, please leave a comment.
Grand Rapids Home for Veterans: Crime in progress part 27, Stealing from those who donate.
One of the guys here have told me that something changed, with the way Bingo Games are done and its due to a person working here named Sue.
Until just this week, when a group comes in, all the people who are volunteers to sign a sign-in sheet, and the sheet also contains the amount of money the group is donating to the home. 3 copies are made. One for the front office, one for the volunteer office, and one for the group who made the donation. But this time they did not have to do so, because this Sue person, said they did not have to.
When volunteers bring in money for Bingo, Now they are directed to give it to the volunteer office, which then gives them a bunch of envelops containing money.
What is wrong with this you ask? Well, for one, no one is sure if the amount being given by the volunteer group is the same amount being given out as winnings at bingo. Which would mean someone at the home is skimming money off the donated money.
Second, putting a 1 dollar bill into a 50 cent envelope is stupid. It is a waste of money or donated envelops, and of resources.
We already have proof that the Volunteer office is "loosing" donations, or misplacing them and we have good evidence to suggest they are skimming money from donations and that donations are being use for purposes other than their intention. That is why we have lost so many groups in this last 14 month time period.
Grand Rapids Home for Veterans: Crime in Progress part 24 update 3.
Richard Ware has notified me that he has received a notice that Cynthia Thornbury has been appointed his Guardian until 2013.
Richard and his legal team are looking at the probability of filing in federal court, to have the guardianship removed, and filing criminal and conspiracy charges against Michigan Judge Murkowski, Guardian Cythia Thornbury, and the Administration of the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans.
Most people who talk to Richard now believe he is being unlawfully detained here against his wishes, so that this facility can drain all of his assets leaving him in ruins.
Richard and his legal team are looking at the probability of filing in federal court, to have the guardianship removed, and filing criminal and conspiracy charges against Michigan Judge Murkowski, Guardian Cythia Thornbury, and the Administration of the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans.
Most people who talk to Richard now believe he is being unlawfully detained here against his wishes, so that this facility can drain all of his assets leaving him in ruins.
Grand Rapids Home for Veterans: Crime in Progress part 28 - Lockout
What the Heaven is going on? Never before has this locked the chapel doors after 9pm.. Now they are.
Apparently because some members son, who is coming here and talking to veterans while trying to act as an advocate for us, took a few guys into the church during the wee morning hours to talk to them in private.
Even if that is not true, the church should never be locked. It violates the members (veterans) rights to religious freedom.
And I believe it is also a violation of both State and Federal law. We shall soon find out.
Apparently because some members son, who is coming here and talking to veterans while trying to act as an advocate for us, took a few guys into the church during the wee morning hours to talk to them in private.
Even if that is not true, the church should never be locked. It violates the members (veterans) rights to religious freedom.
And I believe it is also a violation of both State and Federal law. We shall soon find out.
Grand Rapids Home for Veterans: Crime in Progress part 26.
Is this a pet hotel or do all State workers bring their animals to work with them? I wonder if doing so is a violation of their work contract.. and remember folks, she is being paid with YOUR tax dollars!
Perhaps someone needs to look into Kelly, the nutritionist on Rankin 3, Dwight Ferguson's squeeze, and find out why she has brought her little doggie to work with her on several occasions. True it may be only about the size of my foot, but I know of no other place, other than a Veterinary clinic, or a kennel that lets you bring your doggie to work.
Maybe Kelly is confused about what the term VETS means? This place is for vets, not for Veterinarians.
Perhaps someone needs to look into Kelly, the nutritionist on Rankin 3, Dwight Ferguson's squeeze, and find out why she has brought her little doggie to work with her on several occasions. True it may be only about the size of my foot, but I know of no other place, other than a Veterinary clinic, or a kennel that lets you bring your doggie to work.
Maybe Kelly is confused about what the term VETS means? This place is for vets, not for Veterinarians.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Grand Rapids Home for Veterans: Crime in progress part 25
Do as we say, not as we do.
That seems to be the theme being presented to Residents of the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans.
It is being reported to me by one of the members here, that one of the Dom Unit Social workers was seen buying fireworks from a volunteer out in a parking lot, and then the Social worker took the fireworks into one of the buildings that house veterans. That, the reporting member believes, is a direct violation of law or at least of policy as members are told that they cannot have even legal fireworks on the premises.
So apparently it is ok for a 95 Thousand dollar a year social worker to violate the law, but not our veterans?!!
That seems to be the theme being presented to Residents of the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans.
It is being reported to me by one of the members here, that one of the Dom Unit Social workers was seen buying fireworks from a volunteer out in a parking lot, and then the Social worker took the fireworks into one of the buildings that house veterans. That, the reporting member believes, is a direct violation of law or at least of policy as members are told that they cannot have even legal fireworks on the premises.
So apparently it is ok for a 95 Thousand dollar a year social worker to violate the law, but not our veterans?!!
Grand Rapids Home for Veterans: Crime in progress part 25
Do as we say, not as we do.
That seems to be the theme being presented to Residents of the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans.
It is being reported to me by one of the members here, that one of the Dom Unit Social workers was seen buying fireworks from a volunteer out in a parking lot, and then the Social worker took the fireworks into one of the buildings that house veterans. That, the reporting member believes, is a direct violation of law or at least of policy as members are told that they cannot have even legal fireworks on the premises.
So apparently it is ok for a 95 Thousand dollar a year social worker to violate the law, but not our veterans?!!
That seems to be the theme being presented to Residents of the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans.
It is being reported to me by one of the members here, that one of the Dom Unit Social workers was seen buying fireworks from a volunteer out in a parking lot, and then the Social worker took the fireworks into one of the buildings that house veterans. That, the reporting member believes, is a direct violation of law or at least of policy as members are told that they cannot have even legal fireworks on the premises.
So apparently it is ok for a 95 Thousand dollar a year social worker to violate the law, but not our veterans?!!
Monday, May 14, 2012
Why I want OUT of this place.
In the State of Michigan, if you are a honorably discharged veteran, with no job and no income, and no home, you might be qualified to come and stay at the Michigan Veterans Home. If you qualify, the Michigan Veterans Trust will pay this place a fee, to help pay the cost of your stay here. And the Federal Veterans Administration will also chip in a few duckets to help. If you are ambulatory, that is you can walk around without help, and can take your own medications if prescribed, you can be assigned to the Dormitory unit, called the Dom unit at the cost of 3,100.00 per month.
For this 2,100 per month, you will receive a closet that is 22 inches across, by 24 inches deep, by 6 feet high that contains 1 upper shelf with a rod hanging below it to hang your clothing on, and a lower shelf. You will get 80 to 100 square feet of living space for your bed, depending on which room you are in. Meaning 8x10 or 10x10 feet where your bed, dresser and small night table will be. You will have about 2.5 feet between the dresser and your bed. And your bed will be 1 of 4 in a room that has 1 sink in it, and a toilet room with an additional sink. You will have from 1 to 3 roommates depending on the time of year. You will also have access to laundry units on the 2nd and 3rd floors where you are expected to do your own laundry minus the linen and shower towels.
The air conditioning system which is filled with asbestos, runs cold from May 1st to October 1st, when it switches to heat. The air system recycles every ones body odor and does not introduce any new fresh air. In the winter time, Humidity levels drop to less than 15 percent and you can expect to wake up with cracked bleeding sinuses. And if you even think about opening up a window to let fresh air in, the windows contain blocks in their tracks to prevent members from opening the windows. Most members remove the blocks making it possible to access the windows. Then you have to deal with the Steel window blinds that probably contain lead based paint. Most have never been cleaned, nor have the windows themselves been cleaned unless the members themselves attempt it.
In addition to this, you get 2 nurses working various 8 hour shifts thru out the week, with one shift on the weekend. And you get to see the doctor for sick call on Tuesdays and Thursdays. You also get free run of the entire facility, access to a small pantry where coffee, a microwave oven, and a refrigerator where other members will steal the food you leave in it. You also get access to 3 meals a day down in the main dining hall in the McKleish building which is the center of the 3 that make up this facility.
There is a members council that meets once a month, but it is nothing more than a glorified gripe session, with the staff doing NOTHING about any of the complaints. Veterans have NO voice here.
Now your meals will vary somewhat, but not much. Each breakfast menu is the same for that day every week. So what you get on Monday, you will always get on Monday. Same for the rest of the days of the week. Most meals will be served at room temperature, sometimes on plates that are preheated, and served in an insulated cover. Most food is processed, has high salt content, and comes precooked so all they have to do is re-heat it properly, which they rarely do.
Lunch is the main meal of the day, with supper being the smallest and easiest to make. Soup and a salad or Soup and a sandwich is a normal combination for supper.
On Holidays and special occasions they will actually cook something special for everyone. And it will be served hot. Most meals are full of useless calories, and lots of carbohydrates. If you are not a diabetic, you stand a good chance of becoming one if you are here long enough. You like ice cream? You will get a lot of it here.
And if you have any money or assets, they take them from you leaving you broke.A person already getting Social Security disability or service connected disability, or any kind of pension, will have their checks taken, and will be given 100.00 per month to use as they see fit. Non income people will be given 20 dollars per month, or 5 bucks a week. A person who is sent to a Nursing unit, who has assets will have those taken from them when the home uses the State's guardian laws to assign a guardian or conservator to take control of the persons assets. From that point on, the veteran has no say in where his money goes, or what it is used for. The state appointed guardian or conservator is the only one who can decide - and most of the time they fail to inform the veteran. This is a systematic function of the home. Standard operating procedure number 3 on their list.
For people who come here and apply for Disability or such, and have a waiting time, and whom get "back pay", the home will seize the back pay paycheck, and give you the veteran 100 bucks of it. So if your back pay is 500 per month and you get 17 months of back pay, your check of 8,500 will be seized and you will get 100 dollars of it and they will take the rest. We have no idea what they do with it as it does not go back to the Michigan's veterans trust fund. We have tried to find out and no answer has been forth coming.
While I do appreciate what the Michigan Veterans Trust has done for me, and that I had a warm place to sleep instead of living on the street, I do not like the way this place is being run under Sara Dunne. This is supposed to be a HOME for veterans, not a warehouse.
I have a Social security disability hearing soon, and I do not want this place to steal my back pay. Nor do I want to continue paying for something that should cost less than 2000 per month. And I want my meals served HOT, fully cooked. Not what we have here.
Is it any wonder I am trying to get the H out of here?!!
For this 2,100 per month, you will receive a closet that is 22 inches across, by 24 inches deep, by 6 feet high that contains 1 upper shelf with a rod hanging below it to hang your clothing on, and a lower shelf. You will get 80 to 100 square feet of living space for your bed, depending on which room you are in. Meaning 8x10 or 10x10 feet where your bed, dresser and small night table will be. You will have about 2.5 feet between the dresser and your bed. And your bed will be 1 of 4 in a room that has 1 sink in it, and a toilet room with an additional sink. You will have from 1 to 3 roommates depending on the time of year. You will also have access to laundry units on the 2nd and 3rd floors where you are expected to do your own laundry minus the linen and shower towels.
The air conditioning system which is filled with asbestos, runs cold from May 1st to October 1st, when it switches to heat. The air system recycles every ones body odor and does not introduce any new fresh air. In the winter time, Humidity levels drop to less than 15 percent and you can expect to wake up with cracked bleeding sinuses. And if you even think about opening up a window to let fresh air in, the windows contain blocks in their tracks to prevent members from opening the windows. Most members remove the blocks making it possible to access the windows. Then you have to deal with the Steel window blinds that probably contain lead based paint. Most have never been cleaned, nor have the windows themselves been cleaned unless the members themselves attempt it.
In addition to this, you get 2 nurses working various 8 hour shifts thru out the week, with one shift on the weekend. And you get to see the doctor for sick call on Tuesdays and Thursdays. You also get free run of the entire facility, access to a small pantry where coffee, a microwave oven, and a refrigerator where other members will steal the food you leave in it. You also get access to 3 meals a day down in the main dining hall in the McKleish building which is the center of the 3 that make up this facility.
There is a members council that meets once a month, but it is nothing more than a glorified gripe session, with the staff doing NOTHING about any of the complaints. Veterans have NO voice here.
Now your meals will vary somewhat, but not much. Each breakfast menu is the same for that day every week. So what you get on Monday, you will always get on Monday. Same for the rest of the days of the week. Most meals will be served at room temperature, sometimes on plates that are preheated, and served in an insulated cover. Most food is processed, has high salt content, and comes precooked so all they have to do is re-heat it properly, which they rarely do.
Lunch is the main meal of the day, with supper being the smallest and easiest to make. Soup and a salad or Soup and a sandwich is a normal combination for supper.
On Holidays and special occasions they will actually cook something special for everyone. And it will be served hot. Most meals are full of useless calories, and lots of carbohydrates. If you are not a diabetic, you stand a good chance of becoming one if you are here long enough. You like ice cream? You will get a lot of it here.
And if you have any money or assets, they take them from you leaving you broke.A person already getting Social Security disability or service connected disability, or any kind of pension, will have their checks taken, and will be given 100.00 per month to use as they see fit. Non income people will be given 20 dollars per month, or 5 bucks a week. A person who is sent to a Nursing unit, who has assets will have those taken from them when the home uses the State's guardian laws to assign a guardian or conservator to take control of the persons assets. From that point on, the veteran has no say in where his money goes, or what it is used for. The state appointed guardian or conservator is the only one who can decide - and most of the time they fail to inform the veteran. This is a systematic function of the home. Standard operating procedure number 3 on their list.
For people who come here and apply for Disability or such, and have a waiting time, and whom get "back pay", the home will seize the back pay paycheck, and give you the veteran 100 bucks of it. So if your back pay is 500 per month and you get 17 months of back pay, your check of 8,500 will be seized and you will get 100 dollars of it and they will take the rest. We have no idea what they do with it as it does not go back to the Michigan's veterans trust fund. We have tried to find out and no answer has been forth coming.
While I do appreciate what the Michigan Veterans Trust has done for me, and that I had a warm place to sleep instead of living on the street, I do not like the way this place is being run under Sara Dunne. This is supposed to be a HOME for veterans, not a warehouse.
I have a Social security disability hearing soon, and I do not want this place to steal my back pay. Nor do I want to continue paying for something that should cost less than 2000 per month. And I want my meals served HOT, fully cooked. Not what we have here.
Is it any wonder I am trying to get the H out of here?!!
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