For Your Benefit
For and about Hawaii's militaryBy Gregg K. Kakesako
Sunday, February 3, 2002
See also: In The Military
VA long-term health care
strives outside hospital wallsQuestion: I am getting up in years and concerned about long-term health care. Does the Department of Veterans Affairs provide such care for a veteran like myself?
Answer: Long-term care is a critical issue for America's veterans. More than 37 percent of the veteran population is 65 years or older, compared with 13 percent of the general population. In Hawaii, 4,876 veterans 65 years and older received medical care from VA last year. Long-term and transitional rehabilitative care services are provided by a VA-operated, 60-bed Center for Aging, located at Tripler Army Medical Center. However, the VA emphasizes noninstitutional long-term care when possible, because veterans normally prefer to remain in their homes as long as they can. The goal of CFA's program is to improve the veterans' physical functioning so that they may return to independent living in their own home or to some alternative care program. Consequently, the VA provides extensive geriatric care through outpatient programs, including contract adult day care, homemaker health aide, home-based primary care, and community nursing home placement. A home-based primary care program also is located on Oahu. Veterans must be enrolled in the VA health care system and meet the nursing home eligibility criteria. Call 433-0600 for more information.
Question: I recently tried to call the VA. The numbers in the directory are apparently wrong. What are the right numbers?
Answer: You are right. The numbers listed on Page 906 in the white pages of the current telephone book are in fact the old numbers from when the VA was located in the federal building. There are a few exceptions. The benefits information and assistance number is still 433-1000. Basically all telephone numbers that start with 566 are wrong. For a complete listing of the right numbers, go to page 11 of the Federal Government Services, in the front part of the book. The problem wasn't discovered until after the books were printed and distributed. Appropriate agencies have been notified and the next edition will contain the right numbers in both sections.
On the subject of telephones, some veterans still have rotary phones and have experienced difficulties with the VA's computerized answering service. The VA's automated systems allow veterans with rotary phones to automatically be directed to a live person.
If you have questions about your benefits as a veteran,
call Fred Ballard at the Veterans Affairs at 433-0049
or the Star-Bulletin at 529-4747.Gregg K. Kakesako can be reached by phone at 294-4075
or by e-mail at gkakesako@starbulletin.com.
