When the Michigan legislature decided to FINALLY do something about the problems plaguing the Grand Rapids home for veterans, they decided to build a model based upon the Tennessee veterans homes. Individual units of about 120 people. Scattered throughout the state, near the cities where veterans lived so they could be near their families. These homes were also ran as Non profit enterprises with lots of people volunteering at them, and making lots of donations. Veterans at these homes rarely went without.
But again Michigan is setting up its new model for failure.
These new homes are to be run as FOR PROFIT enterprises.. if you cannot pay, you cannot stay. And Michigan has over 600,000 veterans.
Also if you are a smoker, forget it. No smoking on the grounds, nor can you be a smoker at all.
And the new bureaucracy running this show is so messed up its not even funny. The board of directors or whatever its name is, allows the members to accept gifts. Talk about an open door to corruption.
Also, it appears that the new home has the authority to ask anyone for donations, so they have informed the veterans organizations that they no longer need their help. Talk about saying F--K YOU! To those organizations who for years helped care for the vets.
The new GR home has a new name. Michigan Veterans Home Grand Rapids. So I guess they are going to run the 2 buildings as separate names and locations, right?
But after spending millions of dollars destroying an old growth forest, taking out trees that would take 100 years to replace, the new home has some serious issues.
One issue reported is the deck drains in the residents showers are too HIGH. And the showers cannot drain properly. OOPS! Flood the bathroom area, making it more dangerous for the resident. How much tax money is this going to cost taxpayers to correct?
The Gates in the Alzheimer's wing, that keeps them safe in a yard, got knocked down during the recent storm because some idiot bought cheap plastic hinges for it. If a strong wind can break it down, just think what a 250lb veteran with an attitude could do..
I am told the rules established means the coffee served to the residents can only be so warm.. just a bit warmer than the ambient room temperature.. no more hot coffee or hot chocolate either.
So far there seems to be only 6 residents moved into the new place. So how long is it going to take to fill it up? With less than 150 in the older buildings, they shouldn't need another 4 months to fill the new one up. What is going on here? Where is the oversight? (none as usual).
Since the place is now Medicare/Medicaid compliant, its just a matter of time until some non veteran finds a money hungry lawyer and sues the place for discrimination.
And that is just some of the problems.
Also, Was informed today that the old home is once again in COV lockdown due to one staff member coming in and testing positive for COV19.
I don't know for sure, but it sure looks to me like they are turning the new "home" into something not a home at all, but a warehouse for people waiting to die.
I wonder if they will allow the residents to even play bingo.
