Vets home in Yuma is much needed

Veterans deserve access to nursing care in own community

The latest update on the proposed Yuma veterans’ nursing home facility is a terrific one.

The Arizona Department of Veterans Services originally proposed building a 60-bed facility in Yuma. But now the plans have been expanded, meaning more space to help meet the needs of Yuma’s veterans.

The latest update calls for an 80,000-square-foot facility with 80 beds, including four 16-bed long-term care units and a 16-bed memory care unit.

The facility will be located on the southeast corner of Avenue 6E and 34th Street, on land that has been donated by the city of Yuma.

The city of Yuma donated the first eight acres of land for the project in 2014, and this month, donated another three acres to allow for the expanded plans.

In April, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs State Home Construction Grant Program approved a grant that will fund 65 percent of the construction costs for the Yuma facility as well as a Flagstaff facility. The state of Arizona will be responsible for the other 35 percent of the costs.

The Yuma facility will provide 24-hour/sevenday-a-week skilled nursing care for geriatric and chronically ill veterans, dependents, and surviving spouses. Veteran benefit counselors will be available to help residents, and social services will provide support for residents and their families.

To get such care now, veterans have to travel to Phoenix, more than 180 miles away, which is a burden to veterans, and a disservice to them. Our veterans served our country, and in turn, are deserving of accessible compassionate care.

Driving to Phoenix or Tucson doesn’t meet that standard. It’s far away from their home and families in Yuma, and creates unnecessary stress. This facility has been needed for years here in Yuma.

The grant approval in April and the additional land donation by the city of Yuma bring this much-needed facility one step closer to reality — and that’s great news for our veterans!