Social Work
‘They Deserve It’: In Foster Homes, Veterans Are Cared For Like Family
By Patricia Kime for Kaiser Health News
With the motto “Where Heroes Meet Angels,” a small Veterans Affairs effort pairs vets in need of nursing home care with caregivers willing to share their homes.
Ralph Stepney’s home on a quiet street in north Baltimore has a welcoming front porch and large rooms, with plenty of space for his comfortable recliner and vast collection of action movies. The house is owned by Joann West, a licensed caregiver who shares it with Stepney and his fellow Vietnam War veteran Frank Hundt.
“There is no place that I’d rather be. … I love the quiet of living here, the help we get. I thank the Lord every year that I am here,” Stepney, 73, said.
Caregiver Joann West calls taking care of veterans Ralph Stepney (left) and Frank Hundt at her home in Baltimore a “joy.” “They deserve it,” she says. (Lynne Shallcross/KHN)
It’s a far cry from a decade ago, when Stepney was homeless and “didn’t care about anything.” His diabetes went unchecked and he had suffered a stroke — a medical event that landed him at the Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
After having part of his foot amputated, Stepney moved into long-term nursing home care at a VA medical facility, where he thought he’d remain — until he became a candidate for a small VA effort that puts aging veterans in private homes: the Medical Foster Home program.
The $20.7 million-per-year program provides housing and care for more than 1,000 veterans in 42 states and Puerto Rico, serving as an alternative to nursing home care for those who cannot live safely on their own. Veterans pay their caregivers $1,500 to $3,000 a month, depending on location, saving the government about $10,000 a month in nursing home care. It has been difficult to scale up, though, because the VA accepts only foster homes that meet strict qualifications.
March Celebrates Social Work
Professionals who care. Helping improve people’s lives is at the heart of social work
In honor of National Social Work Month in March, below are facts about social workers from the National Association of Social Workers:
About Social Workers
Social workers seek to improve the lives of others.
Social work is a profession for those with a strong desire to help improve people’s lives. Social workers assist people by helping them cope with issues in their everyday lives, deal with their relationships, and solve personal and family problems.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were almost 650,000 social workers in the United States in 2014. With an expected growth in jobs of 12 percent by 2024, social work is one of the fastest growing professions in the United States.
Who are social workers?
Social work is a profession for those with a strong desire to help improve people’s lives. Social workers assist people by helping them cope with issues in their everyday lives, deal with their relationships, and solve personal and family problems.
Some social workers help clients who face a disability or a life-threatening disease or a social problem, such as inadequate housing, unemployment, or substance abuse. Social workers also assist families that have serious domestic conflicts, sometimes involving child or spousal abuse.
Some social workers conduct research, advocate for improved services, engage in systems design or are involved in planning or policy development. Many social workers specialize in serving a particular population or working in a specific setting.
What do social workers do?
- Social workers help individuals, families, and groups restore or enhance their capacity for social functioning, and work to create societal conditions that support communities in need.
- The practice of social work requires knowledge of human development and behavior, of social, economic and cultural institutions, and of the interaction of all these factors.
- Social workers help people of all backgrounds address their own needs through psychosocial services and advocacy.
- Social workers help people overcome some of life’s most difficult challenges: poverty, discrimination, abuse, addiction, physical illness, divorce, loss, unemployment, educational problems, disability, and mental illness. They help prevent crises and counsel individuals, families, and communities to cope more effectively with the stresses of everyday life.
Who employs social workers?
- Professional social workers are found in every facet of community life—in schools, hospitals, mental health clinics, senior centers, elected office, private practices, prisons, military, corporations, and in numerous public and private agencies that serve individuals and families in need. Many also serve as social and community service directors.
- According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), professional social workers are the nation’s largest group of mental health services providers. There are more clinically trained social workers—over 200,000—than psychiatrists, psychologists, and psychiatric nurses combined. Federal law and the National Institutes of Health recognize social work as one of five core mental health professions.
- The S. Department of Veterans Affairsemploys more than 13,000 professional social workers. It is one of the largest employers of MSWs in the United States.
- More than 40% of all disaster mental health volunteers trained by the American Red Cross are professional social workers.
- There are hundreds of social workers in national,state and local elected office,These include one U.S. Senator and six U.S. Representatives. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (MI), Rep. Barbara Lee (CA-13), Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-9), Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (NH-1), Rep. Luis Gutierrez (IL-4), Rep. Niki Tsongas (MA-3) and Rep. Susan Davis (CA-53).
- Today, almost 50 special interest organizations contribute to the vitality and influence of the social work profession. There are social work groups for educators and researchers, as well as organizations for practitioners in health care leadership, nephrology, oncology, child welfare, schools, prisons, courts, and many other settings.
Pat Matthes: A Heart for Hospice
After a long career dedicated to helping others, Bay City native, Pat Matthes, is retiring at the end of May. Pat has served as a Social Worker for Houston Hospice for thirteen years.
Pat Matthes
During that time, he regularly traveled throughout a 50-mile radius of his El Campo office; helping patients and families during their times of greatest need.
Pat’s career as a Social Worker began in 1976. During an almost 40-year career he worked in private practice, helped special needs patients in Bay City, and tried his hand at Hospital Administration before filling a rewarding niche as a Social Worker for Houston Hospice. “I love my job very much,” said Pat. “I love the team. I love the people at Houston Hospice. They’re a class act.” When asked what he’ll miss most Pat answered, “I’m going to miss hearing people’s stories. There are always beautiful stories in hospice.”
Pat’s colleagues anticipate that his absence will be strongly felt. Houston Hospice Professional Relations Liaison, Tiffany Livanec said, “If there was a national ‘Heart of Hospice’ award, Pat would certainly be the recipient. I’ve rarely met anyone who didn’t know him, and I’ve never met anyone who didn’t sing his praises. He will definitely be greatly missed.”
Volunteer Coordinator, Gloria Garza said of Pat, “We have been together for so many years with Houston Hospice – El Campo. He is an amazing, compassionate and kind soul. I am greatly going to miss my friend!”
Pat’s not exactly sure what he’ll do in retirement, but he knows it will involve helping people. He plans to volunteer for First Baptist Church of Bay City where he’s a member. Pat said he likes building things and looks forward to helping the Baptist Men’s Association, a group that provides assistance in the aftermath of disaster. He said he might consider volunteering with hospitals and hospice too.
Houston Hospice is Houston’s only nonprofit hospice, providing care for patients and families throughout ten counties. To learn more about Pat’s retirement celebration or the local services offered by Houston Hospice, visit www.houstonhospice.org, or call 979-578-0314 or 800-420-6193.
-Karla Goolsby, Houston Hospice Communication Specialist