The new fiscal year started with The Creative Arts Festival held in San Antonio, Texas and WOW what an experience we had.  We were represented by Leo Lawson, Ertemus Bell, Lawrence Green, Albert Thetford, and me.  I would like to thank all of the volunteers and staff at San Antonio for the wonderful experience they allowed for us.

 

In September of 2009 the State of Mississippi provided a Handicap day of fishing at Lake Enid.  We were put on pontoon boats and were taken out for a wonderful day of fishing. Afterwards the Corps of Engineers, Mississippi’s Game wardens, and a group of volunteers fed everyone a great meal. They gave out a huge amount of door prizes and a grand prize of $100.00 in which our own Memphis Veteran Christie Hill-Smith won.

 

On 04/24/09 at the Holiday Inn of Memphis, the Volunteer Services gave to it’s volunteer’s recognition for the countless hours of time they put in working with our veterans.  Without all of our volunteers helping work alongside with the VA staff we would not have that special friendly atmosphere that is unique to our VA Hospital.

 

This year I was appointed to the Program Manager of Public Relations.  I would like to inform all of our veterans of the various programs the VA has to offer.  My door is open for everyone who would like any knowledge in our programs and events.

 

I realize in other articles in our Para-graph you have read about our Christmas Parties this year, I would personally like to touch base on thanking Mr. Mike Whitmer ( The canteen manager) and his staff for the wonderful Christmas dinner they provided at the Memphis Va.  Also I would like to thank Ms. Gloria (Our wonderful Starbucks employee) and her daughter for her outstanding performance in singing and playing the acoustic guitar at our Memphis VA Christmas party.  In Arkansas’s Christmas party, I would like to mention The Boy Scout Troop 770 sang Christmas Carols and played musical instruments for our entertainment.  What a great performance these young men provided for our members.

 

Just would like to mention that this year’s Creative Arts Festival deadline will be January 22, 2010.  Don’t forget we have an Aaron Tippin free concert coming up on February 13, 2010.  And with packages for the winter games deadline is April 15, 2010.

 

I am always available to anyone and you can reach me at (901) 527-3018.

Medical Foster Home

Program at the Memphis VAMC

  

The Memphis VAMC (Veteran Administration Medical Center) provides an alternative to nursing home placement called “Medical Foster Home Program.”  The medical foster home care givers will furnish assistance with your activities of daily living and the VA Home-Based Primary Care team (HBPC) will provide your primary healthcare in their homes.

 The veteran or his/her legal representative will be responsible for the cost to stay in the facility. The veteran will continue to receive his/her VA Healthcare based on their current eligibility. 

 

The Medical Foster Home environment provides the following:

 

·    Private/Semi-private room

·    Varity of relations

·    24 hour supervision

·    Flexibility in daily routine

·    Choices

·    Permanent home

·    Safeguards against abuse

·    Prearrangement of burial

·    Signed contract between medical foster home caregiver and veteran, family or legal representative

·    Pets may be possible

 

Some of the benefits of this program include the following:

 

·    Maintains the veteran in a safe and therapeutic environment

·    Provides an alternative to living alone with adequate social support

·    Provides longitudinal health care in a home setting to include end-of-care

·    Offers personalized and customized care in the community

·    Offers assisted living that is affordable to non-service connected veterans

·    Meet the increasing demand for long term care services

 

There are certain criteria and guidelines that must be followed for the care givers and their homes.  If you are interested in becoming a foster home care giver please contact Dabney S. Collum, LCSW, MFH Coordinator (901) 523-8990 ext: 5705.

The North Little Rock office currently has 615 case files. The office monitors the VA Medical Centers in Little Rock/North Little Rock, Fayetteville and Shreveport LA.  There are currently 13 outpatient clinics under the two Arkansas hospitals with two additional scheduled for 2010. The year was busy and involved.

 

Total contacts                        4,105

 

Total POA’s                           615

 

Member POA’s                     242

 

Member-eligible POA’s       210

 

New POA’s                            53

 

Annual Awards                      $3,277,215

 

Retro Awards                        $1,032,392

 

We will continue to conduct outreach to medical facilities throughout Arkansas in order to expand our services.

At the end of the fiscal year, Oct. 1, 2008 to Sept. 30, 2009 our total membership was 356 service connected veterans, 563 non-service connected veterans, 2 transferred out and one deceased, bringing the total up to 916 members.

 

Over the past fiscal year we held several events for our members to enjoy. We all enjoyed 2008’s Christmas party, our super bowl party, PVA’s awareness week when our Rolling-Grizzles played the Arkansas Razorbacks and last but not least “my favorite” the Lake Ennid, Mississippi fishing tournament.  I would like to give a special thanks to Mississippi’s game wardens, Corp of Engineers, all the volunteers who helped load and unload our veterans and let us not forget Ester Wipf for all her love and support. 

 

As promised this year Mid-South Chapter PVA hosted a Christmas Party for Inpatients and Members at the N. Little Rock VA on Saturday December 19, 2009. A delicious holiday meal of turkey and dressing, ham, green beans, corn, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, rolls pecan pie and apple pie were served to all the attendees. Thank you Clyde Reed, NSO, at the N. Little Rock hospital for making arrangements for the food. Also, thank you to Matthew Powell, BOD member and David Specking, Hospital Liaison for making the arrangements for the party. After lunch, a game of “Name the Christmas Carol” was played and door prizes of poinsettias were given during a drawing. Christie Hill-Smith, Membership Program Manager, Tommy Smith, Volunteer, Tom Lewis, Volunteer and Jo Ann Holt, Office Secretary attended from Memphis. If you were unable to attend this year, we will host another party next year and hope you will be able to join us then.

 

During this next year we plan on scheduling a lot of new events. We would like to encourage a good attendance from all of our members. I will also be recruiting volunteers to help support the events. If I can help you in the membership program, please contact me at the Chapter office (901) 527-3018.