MILTON — Military veterans in the VA Medical Foster Home Care program can participate in this year’s National Veterans Golden Age Games, but they will need financial help to get there.
VA Medical Foster Home Care provider Melanie Derouin established a GoFundMe page to raise $10,000 for the May 7 event in Biloxi, Miss.
The National Veterans Golden Age Games is the only national sports and recreational competition program for older veterans, including those with various disabilities, according to the VA. Events at the Games include pickle ball, shuffleboard, badminton, table tennis, javelin and field discus.
Ten Escambia and Santa Rosa County Medical Foster Home Care veterans are trying to participate in the games, Melanie said, but they need to raise the money by the last week in April.
Interested donors can visit the GoFundMe page at https://www.gofundme.com/supportlocalveterans to contribute.
‘THEY BECOME PART OF OUR FAMILY’
Medical foster homes have a trained caregiver who provides services to a few individuals; they can be an alternative to living in a nursing home, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Compensation for the care comes from the veteran’s funds such as a pension, Social Security or the veteran’s family, according to the VA.
With the background checks, screenings and home inspections, Melanie, a home healthcare provider, said it took over a year to become a provider with the program.
Melanie has been involved with the program along with her husband, Tony Derouin, a Navy veteran, since it began seven years ago in Pensacola. Two years ago, they moved to Milton.
“Basically, we take these guys in and they become part of our family,” Melanie said. “A lot of them don’t have families or, if they’re around, they can’t care for them,” she said.
‘WE GIVE THEM UNCONDITIONAL LOVE’
A home health provider’s responsibilities to the veterans include traveling to doctor appointments, administering medications and assisting with daily needs.
“Most importantly, we give them unconditional love and support,” Melanie said.
Melanie’s current client, Camden Babcock, 29, was in the Army for eight years when he had an accident riding his motorcycle in 2011.
She has another bed available and has certification to care for three veterans.
“It’s a really rewarding job but really difficult,” Melanie said.
“I lost one (veteran) I was extremely close to. It takes a lot out of you. You don’t get days off,” she said.
This includes vacations.
“We went on a cruise last year and took our veteran with us,” she said. “We plan our vacations toward what they can do. We rented a house on Lake Eufaula and had a covered boat so the guys could go fishing.”
Contact the program’s area coordinator, Cindy Bradford, at 293-9859, to learn more about the Medical Foster Home Care program.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Donations sought for veterans in national competition