State Veterans Homes are facilities that provide nursing home, domiciliary or adult day care. They are owned, operated and managed by state governments. They date back to the post Civil War era when many states created them to provide shelter to homeless and disabled Veterans.
To participate in the State Veterans Home program, VA must formally recognize and certify a facility as a State Veterans Home. VA then surveys all facilities each year to make sure they continue to meet VA standards.
VA does not manage State Veterans Homes.
Your eligibility for State Veterans Homes is based on clinical need and setting availability. Each State establishes eligibility and admission criteria for its homes.
Some State Veterans Homes may admit non-Veteran spouses and gold star parents while others may admit only Veterans.
A recognized State Veterans Home may receive payments from VA to help defray the cost of care provided to Veterans. The cost to you varies by state. VA does not pay for care for non-Veterans.
Talk with a VA social worker/case manager about the eligibility requirements of State Veterans Homes near you and to figure out a plan for paying for State Veterans Home care services.
Each State Veterans Home provides nursing home, domiciliary or adult day health care. The State Veterans Home may also provide more than one of these services.
State Veterans Homes are located in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Some states have more than one State Veterans Homes. For a list of locations, visit the National Association of State Veterans Homes.
Thinking about moving into State Veterans Home is an important decision for you and your family.
You can use a Shared Decision Making Worksheet to help you figure out what long term care services or settings may best meet your needs now or in the future.
There's also a Caregiver Self-Assessment. It can help your caregiver identify their own needs and decide how much support they can offer to you. Having this information from your caregiver, along with the involvement of your care team and social worker, will help you reach good long term care decisions.
Your physician or other primary care provider can answer questions about your medical needs. Some important questions to talk about with your social worker and family include:
- How much assistance do I need for my activities of daily living (e.g., bathing and getting dressed)?
- What are my caregiver's needs?
- How much independence and privacy do I want?
- What sort of social interactions are important to me?
- How much can I afford to pay for care each month?
If a State Veterans Home seems right for you, your VA social worker can help you locate one and assist with making arrangements. You can also use the Helpful Websites listed in the Guide to Long Term Care to help you locate other services in your community.
This is the right place for me. My daughter and her family live close by so they can visit often. The staff here takes good care of me and they even drive me to my medical appointments.
Robert, Veteran
We had three choices in our state. My dad met the income criteria and they have the care services he needs right now. They can also provide nursing home care when and if the time comes for that.
Jerry, Veteran's son and caregiver
