By Dave Dahl
SPRINGFIELD – From disease outbreaks at veterans’ homes to complaints of unprofessionalism, the last few years have been hard for the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs. Tuesday morning, a legislative panel heard how things might be turning around.
From the federal VA, Dr. Alan Bridges took a question about caregivers’ pay.
“Our most vulnerable group for the future is going to be our aging (patients) and our patients with cognitive issues,” Bridges said, “and so the VA caregiver program is going to be absolutely critical to help keep our vets in homes w people who love them and out of nursing homes.”
Lawmakers also heard the state and nation are trying to step up to stop veteran suicides – roughly twice the rate of that of the general population.
Acting IDVA director Terry Prince, brought in after the covid debacle at La Salle, said the demand is only going to grow. “Our agency is looking at a tremendous population push; a tidal wave, as it were, of potential veterans who are going to need care, especially in the mental health arena,” he said. “A lot of Vietnam veterans are reaching are reaching the age where they are going to require a high level of services.”
Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected].
