Supporting veterans’ caregivers in WNC post-Helene

Written by Grace Vitalione

John David Large, 42, is a caregiver for his father, John Meade Large, a veteran with esophageal cancer in Buncombe County. The 75-year-old served in the Vietnam War from 1969 to 1971. He underwent radiation and is now in hospice care at home.

Kabir cooks, cleans, shops and takes care of his father’s medicines so that his mother can stay with his father.

When the family learned that then-Hurricane Helen was heading toward western North Carolina, Large said they weren’t too worried at first.

“But then suddenly.” [we realized]He said, ‘Oh my God, this is going to be a little worse than we thought.’

Their home was not damaged in the storm, but they were without power for two weeks and remained under a boil water advisory for a month and a half.

A few days after the storm, their neighbor Christine Barlow knocked on the door. She and her family were evacuating, but she wanted to deliver food and bottled water first. Barlow, who works with the regional Veterans Affairs system, learned of John Mead’s case and directed the family to Caregiver Support Program Through the local team in Charles George Medical Center of the Department of Veterans Affairs In Asheville.

“My heart just went out to them after hearing their story,” she said.

Asheville’s Caregiver Support Team currently serves 546 veterans and 618 caregivers, according to Director Patricia Kitlas. The program provides resources such as monthly stipends, respite care, support groups, and training. Kitlas said the Asheville team has been able to process about 60 additional applications for the program since Helen hit in late September, despite some employees losing family members and being without water or power.

The devastation caused by storm water and wind in Helen poses a particular challenge to medically vulnerable groups, such as the disabled Veterans and others with chronic medical needs.

The older child was able to receive a stipend through the program to support him and his parents. He had to retire from working in construction for 20 years to care for his father about two years ago. The first installment of his salary for a month and a half was about $5,000, most of which he invested in savings.

“Just in case something happens at home or my dad needs something, I can make sure I can get it for him and he will be there if I need it,” he said.

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The Caregiver Support Program consists of two other programmes. One program Provides enhanced clinical support and services – such as a monthly stipend – to caregivers of eligible veterans who suffer a serious injury or illness and require personalized personal care services. the second Saves resources Such as peer support mentoring, skills training, and caregiver training.

The Caregiver Support Program began in 2008 and began accepting applications from post-9/11 veterans for wraparound assistance in 2010, according to Colleen Richardson, a clinical psychologist and executive director of the Caregiver Support Program at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Federalism VA Mission Act Passed by Congress in 2018, the program expanded the program to include veterans of all eras of service in phases.

Funding for the program is determined by the president’s budget each fiscal year, Richardson said. Although it can change from year to year, the program has been “well-funded for many years,” she said.

The US Department of Veterans Affairs also announced a proposal to expand eligibility for the Comprehensive Assistance Program December 5as well as reevaluating eligibility less frequently and expanding access to telehealth. The proposed rule is: Open for public comment.

Richardson pointed to respite care as one of the most important parts of the program, because it allows caregivers time to recover and re-energize while someone else takes care of the veteran.

The monthly stipend, which comes to families through the blanket assistance aspect of the program, is based on 40 or 20 hours of care per week, until the veteran gets better and exits the program or dies.

The program also provides a 90-day stipend and additional resources after a veteran’s death, she said.

Richardson said the Asheville program is unique in that it includes dementia care groups, as well as book clubs and drop-in groups where caregivers can share what’s going on in their lives.

“Few victories”

The Large family’s neighbor, Barlow, is a clinical psychologist and works on the Central Eligibility and Appeals Team, which reviews applications for the Caregiver Support Program to determine whether they qualify. The team within the regional VA system, known as Wesen 6 . This is how she has been known to steer large companies towards the program, even though she was not involved in their application process due to a conflict of interest.

After returning to her home in the Asheville area, she and her family trick-or-treated and stopped at Largs’ house first. John David told her the program had been approved.

“The Asheville team has been the boots on the ground in the midst of the largest natural disaster to ever hit this region,” Barlow said.

Kitlasz, who runs Asheville’s caregiver support team, said one reason they worked to approve Large’s request so quickly was because his father was in hospice care.

Kitlasz’s team includes registered nurses and social workers who collect information from the veteran and caregiver and forward it to the department where Barlow works for eligibility review. If the veteran player is determined to be eligible, the application goes back to the home team. The caregiver then receives training, and the local team makes a home visit to ensure the veteran has what they need to stay safe and that the caregiver can provide the best care for them, she said.

Staff brought the John Meade Large into service within 20 days. She added that most people register within 60 to 90 days, but the team has been able to process 60 applications since the storm.

“We kept a pretty good pace,” Kitlasz said.

Some team members had to wash in a creek behind their house without water or electricity. No one can leave their neighborhood for two days. Some missing family members.

Meanwhile, employees were working “as much as they could,” she said. Some drove to where a communications tower was operating and worked from there. Staff also kept an updated list of resources in affected areas and received assistance from the VISN 6 team, which conducted health checks and helped process requests.

Throughout Helen’s recovery, there were “a few victories,” Kitlasz said. A few days ago, a member of her team said their three daughters were finally able to shower in their own bathrooms for the first time since the storm.

The Larges also received a $3,400 grant through a VA grant that helps pay for their costs Home improvements or structural modifications To the home to facilitate caregiving. The family used this money to install a walk-in shower for John Mead. Large said he only used the shower once before he became extremely weak.

“It’s really upsetting for him,” Large said. “He used it at least once. That was a kick in the you-know-what.”

Large said he would like to become a mentor to other caregivers after his father died.

Barlow said the experience made her realize how important it is to knock on your neighbor’s door.

“The community and neighbors helping veterans — and the community outreach — it brings tears to your eyes when you think about it,” she said.

Those interested in applying for the Caregiver Support Program can call the hotline at 855-260-3274 to connect with a social worker. They can also visit the site To learn more. Important updates about Helen’s emergency response targeting local veterans are Available here.