More of Salt Lake County’s aging veterans will be able to stay in their homes this year thanks to new federal funding allocated by the Salt Lake County Council.
To address increasing costs associated with the county’s veteran-directed care program, council members on Tuesday approved allocating another $100,000 from the Department of Veteran Affairs to keep the initiative afloat.
The veteran-directed care program provides retired service members with a case manager to ensure their needs are met as they age, allowing vets to live independently but with assistance like home-health aides, mobility devices and meal delivery. The program works as a partnership with the federal Department of Veterans Affairs, which reimburses the county for its services.
Last year, the program worked with 43 veterans. So far this year, it has served 55 clients, according to Afton January, a spokesperson for the county’s Aging and Adult Services Division.
“These are folks who’ve really dedicated their lives to our country and to making sure that we’re safe and taken care of,” January said. “So we want to take care of them, too… We’ve been doing more work with veterans — and really, we attribute that to the great work at the VA”
The VA connects local veterans with Salt Lake County’s program because oftentimes, individuals can feel “hat-in-hands” when asking for help, January added.
The federal department will confirm that a person is eligible for program services, refer them to Salt Lake County, and then a case worker will take over to help the service member determine what their needs and wishes are as they age.
These services can include something as simple as having a personal care assistant periodically check in on them or installing a Life Alert system to help veterans notify others of falls. Ultimately, the program exists to make veterans “have control and feel empowered” over what will happen to them as they age, January said.
“We have some leeway and flexibility in what we can do for them,” she said. “It’s a kind of an example of local and federal government working together in a way that’s more effective for members of the public.”
Those who would like to use the program’s services or volunteer with the initiative should contact the county’s Aging and Adult Services Division at 385-468-3200.
“I hope that more residents become aware of this program, and as as our veterans in Salt Lake County need these services, they can get referred to the program through the VA,” County Council member Suzanne Harrison said. “It’s just really important to me that we support our veterans in this way.”
