Cathy Cress

Expert in Aging Life and Geriatric Care Management

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My DAD’s PTSD – Support Biden’s Infrastructure Plan Rebuilding VA Hospitals

May 24, 2021

 

Stalag-VII-A Moosburg Bavaria

My father was held in a prison camp during World War II. He was an officer and his camp only housed the higher ranks. He never spoke about the war. He was a World War II navigator shot down in Poland and transferred to Stalag-VII-A Moosburg Bavaria.  He returned home a broken man with PTSD, never took a bus, drove or flew on a plane again. His disability, like so many vets was untreated for 50 years. He worked as an advertising agent ala Mad Men and drank like Don Draper. Our family crumbled into a dysfunctional maelstrom, as most families do. Literally saved by the Palo Alto VA GRECC Program in his late 60’s, he lived a very good life with my family for his last 25 years.

He never sought VA  treatment for his severe PTSD for for 5 decades.

VA Hospital Changed My Dad’s Life After 50 years of Untreated PTSD

.When he came to live with me, after my brother and mother’s death, I got him enrolled in the VA and the incredible  GRECC  Program and he was treated at the  Menlo Park VA Hospital Menlo Park Division (MPD) campus where they  provide a  broad range of Veteran services, including a National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and San Jose VA Hospitals  for the rest of his life.

They turned his life around and made his last 2r years joyful ,mentally and physically health, plus allowed him to die at home through the  VA Homemaker and Home Health Aide Program

 The VA Hospitals  where he was treated do not need renovation but many many VA hospitals are falling apart.This led me to write an entire chapter in the 4th Edition of Handbook of Geriatric Care Management to help care managers to navigate through the VA.

Biden To Liberate $ to Rebuild aging VA Hospitals

President Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan includes $18 billion to upgrade and replace aging Veterans Affairs hospitals, but the agency needs five times that much to bolster facilities and medical staff, a Democratic lawmaker said on Thursday.

Mark Takano, chairman of the House of Representatives Veterans’ Affairs Committee told reporters   , the VA’s 1,700 hospitals, clinics and medical facilities had a median age of 58 years, compared with just 11 years for private hospitals in the United States, he said, noting that 69% of VA hospitals were more than 50 years old.

Support Biden’s Infrastructure Plan to help caregivers and rebuild the VA

The infrastructure package, which must be approved by Congress, would also help the roughly 200,000 veterans who leave military service each year to transition to civilian jobs, and boost funding to help the estimated 2.5 million veteran-owned small businesses, officials said.

As so many geriatric care managers and Home care agencies serve aging Vets , take this memorial day to contact your congressman and senators to support Biden’s infrastructure plan , to help rebuild the crumbling VA hospitals,which is now going to The Senate after being passed in the House. The Senate republicans are not going to allow it into law. Support this plan with it caregiver infrastructure Plan, so that you have more resources to help your aging clients.

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Filed Under: Aging, Biden Infrastructure Bill Passing, Biden's VA Infrastructure Bill, Blog, COVID-19 VA deaths, Dysfunctional aging family, Emergency Plan, Geriatric Care Management Business, Geriatric Care Manager, Memorial Day, Memorial Day and Aging Veterans, National Veterans Legal Aid Group, VA benefits and geriatric care management, VA Benefits PTSD, VA Caregivers, VA GRECC Program, VA Home Care, VA Hospitals crumbling, VA PTSD, Veterans Administration, Written Geriatric Assessment Tagged With: aging life or geriatric care manager, aging parent care, aging parent crisis, Biden's VA Infrastructure Plan, COVID-19 VA Facilities, geriatric care manager, GRECC Program, Memorial Day, Memorial Day WWII Vets, National Center for PTSD, nurse advocate, nurse care manager, PTSD adult children, PTSD Family Caregivers, PTSD in Vets World War II, Stalag VII A Moosburg Bavatia, VA Homemakers Health Aide

My Dad’s Move To My House with The Wonder of VA GRECC

November 11, 2020

HV-Cress.jpg

 

I moved my own Dad so let me tell you our story on Veterans Day.

It is key to his move. My father was a World War II navigator shot down in Poland and transferred to Stalag-VII-A Moosburg Bavaria.  He returned home a broken man with PTSD, never took a bus, drove, or flew on a plane again. His disability, like so many vets was untreated for 50 years. He worked as an advertising agent ala Mad Men and drank like Don Draper. Our family crumbled into a dysfunctional maelstrom, as most families do.

VA GRECC PROGRAM SAVES THE DAY

Finally, after my mother died, I talked him into going to the VA where he did get treatment through the GRECC program. My brother who lived with him died, my Dad found his body and the house caught fire, I then moved my Dad out to a board and care HVC-85th_20130525-233904_1.jpgand had the house rebuilt. However, it was Edgar Alan Poe’s House of Usher. The perfect storm of 91 flooded the whole house again just like Hurricane Sandy. We lived on the bay off the Jersey Coast, since devastated by the rising ocean.

On Christmas Eve I got him an emergency flight to California with only his clothes and he moved in with us for 20 years, until his death. Was it a good move-?

Yes, it was a great move.

We compensated by moving into our attic, which, had been renovated with a bedroom, bath office, etc. So my Dad had privacy, although he was on the floor with his 8th-grade granddaughter now 40. They both had their own bathrooms. He became the center of the family when he had been a distant removed father. His great-grandchildren my brother’s son Chris my grandchildren  Julia and Joseph and my children Jill and Kali adored him and he loved them. He was “ Pop”.

The VA GRECC program was superb.

I got him enrolled in the VA GRECC program in Menlo Park near us, and they took care of his heath for 20 years with the unmatched expertise that the VA is capable of bringing. I cannot say enough about what a great service GRECC rendered him. After 50 years of no help, they showered him with great preventative care, top-notch geriatricians, transportation, and financial support, and at the end home care until he died.

So on Veterans Dad, I would like to give you my own moving store and remind you of the horrible struggle veterans go through, especially PTSD Vets like my Dad,  salted by the Dec-Xmas-all-of-us-.jpganguish visited on their families. But there is a great part of the VA and its GRECC. So happy Memorial Day Dad and so glad you moved in with us, died among his family, and was so well served by the VA GRECC PROGRAM

Filed Under: Aging, aging family crisis, Dysfunctional aging family, Perfect Storm 91, PTSD Vets, Retired Veterans, VA benefits, VA Benefits & geriatric care managementt, VA benefits and geriatric care management, VA Benefits PTSD, VA GRECC Program, VA GRECCProgram, VA Home Care, VA PTSD, Veteran's Day, Veterans Administration Tagged With: Dysfunctional PTSD VA Family, elder relocation, finding VA military services, finding VA services, moving parent, PTSD in family caregivers, PTSD in Vets World War II, Stalag-VII-A Moosburg Bavaria, VA, VA Aide and Attendace, VA disability Claims, VA Geriatric Care, VA GRECC Program, VA World War II Vets, Veterans Day

My Dad’s Move To My House with The Wonder of VA GRECC

November 11, 2020

HV-Cress.jpg

 

I moved my own Dad so let me tell you our story on Veterans Day.

It is key to his move. My Dad was a World War II navigator shot down in Poland and transferred to Stalag-VII-A Moosburg Bavaria.  He returned home a broken man with PTSD, never took a bus, drove, or flew on a plane again. His disability, like so many vets, was untreated for 50 years. He worked as an advertising agent ala Mad Men and drank like Don Draper. Our family crumbled into a dysfunctional maelstrom, as most families do.

Finally, after my mother died, I talked him into going to the VA where he did get treatment through the GRECC program.

My brother who lived with him died, my Dad found his body and the house caught fire, I then moved my Dad out to a board and care and had the house rebuilt. However, it was Edgar Alan Poe’s House of Usher The perfect storm of 89 flooded the whole house again just like Hurricane Sandy. We lived on the bay off the Jersey Coast, since devastated by the rising ocean.

On Christmas Eve I got him an emergency flight to California with only his clothes and he moved in with us for 20 years, until his death.

 

Was it a good move-?

Yes, it was a great move.

We compensated by moving into our attic, which, had been renovated with a bedroom, bath office, etc. So my Dad had privacy, although he was on the floor with his 8th-grade granddaughter. They both had their own bathrooms. He became the center of the family when he had been a distant removed father. The great-grandchildren and my children adored him and he loved them. He was “ Pop”.

The VA GRECC program was superb.

I got my father enrolled and they took care of his heath for 20 years with the unmatched expertise that the VA is capable of bringing. I cannot say enough about what a great service GRECC rendered him. After 50 years of no help, they showered him with great HVC-85th_20130525-233904_1.jpgpreventative care, top-notch geriatricians, transportation, and financial support, and at the end home care until he died.

So on Veterans Day, I would like to give you my own moving store and remind you of the horrible struggle veterans go through salted by the anguish visited on their families. But there is a great part of the VA and its GRECC. So happy Veterans Day Dad and so glad you moved in with us.

Filed Under: Aging Tagged With: elder relocation, moving parent, PTSD in family caregivers, PTSD in Vets World War II, Veterans Day

My Dad & Veterans Day , Prison Camp,PTSD, VA GRECC Program

November 11, 2020

Chris--pop-87-.JPG

 

I moved my own Dad so let me tell you our story on Veterans Day.

It is key to his move. He was a World War II navigator shot down in Poland and transferred to

.  He returned home a broken man with PTSD, never took a bus, drove, or flew on a plane again. His disability, like so many vets, was untreated for 50 years. He worked as an advertising agent ala Mad Men and drank like Don Draper. Our family crumbled into a dysfunctional maelstrom, as most families do.

VA GRECC SAVED THE DAY

Finally, after my mother died, I talked him into going to the VA where he did get treatment through the GRECC program. My brother who lived with him died, my Dad found his body and the house caught fire, I then moved my Dad out to a board and care and had the house rebuilt. However, it was Edgar Alan Poe’s House of Usher The perfect storm of 89 flooded the whole house again just like Hurricane Sandy. We lived on the bay off the Jersey Coast, since devastated by the rising ocean.

On Christmas Eve I got him an emergency flight to California with only his clothes and he moved in with us for 20 years, until his death. Was it a good move-?

Yes, it was a great move.

My Dad had privacy, although he was on the floor with his 8th-grade granddaughter who dearly loved him- now 40. They both had their own bathrooms. He became the center of the family when he had been a distant removed father. The great-grandchildren Julia & Joseph, my brother’s son Chris and my children Jill and Kali adored him and he loved them. He was “ Pop”.

Dec-Xmas-all-of-us-.jpg

So on Veterans Day, I would like to give you my own fraught story and remind you of the horrible struggle veterans go through salted by the anguish visited on their families. But there is a great part of the VA and its GRECC. So happy Veterans Day Dad and so glad you moved in with us and had the GRECC program to support us all.

Filed Under: Aging, aging family crisis, aging life care manager, ALCA Beneifits, Dysfunctional aging family, Emergency Plan, Euology, Long Distance Care, moving parent in your home, PTSD Vets, VA benefits, VA Benefits & geriatric care managementt, VA benefits and geriatric care management, VA GRECC Program, Veteran's Day, Veterans Administration Tagged With: elder relocation, moving parent, PTSD in family caregivers, PTSD in Vets World War II, Stalag 17, Stalag-VII-A Moosburg Bavaria, VA GRECC Program, VA PTSD, Veterans Day

Honor the Living Vets, Not Just The Dead ? My Personal Story With the VA, My Dad and PTSD

May 29, 2017

On Memorial Day, we honor those who died in American wars. But let me tell you a story about vets who lived – with the mental and physical wounds of combat.

My father was World War II navigator shot down in Poland and transferred to Stalag-VII-A Moosburg Bavaria.  He returned home a broken man with PTSD, He never took a bus, drove a car or flew on a plane again for 50 years. His disability, went untreated 50 years. He worked as an advertising agent ala Mad Men and drank like Don Draper. Our family crumbled into a dysfunctional maelstrom, as most families of “wounded warriors” do without help.

Like most World War II vet he never sought help. They believed they fought the “good war”. After my mother died, followed by my brother’s death, I talked him into getting help through the VA. But the “the perfect storm” of 1989 flooded his whole house, just like Hurricane Sandy did again after it was sold. We lived on the bay off the Jersey Coast, since devastated by the rising ocean.

 

On the Christmas Eve, we got him an emergency flight to California with only his clothes and he moved in with us for 20 years, until his death. Was it a good move-?

 

It was a great move for us as a family and him as a PTSD-riddled vet.

 

He became the center of our family, transformed the distant removed father he had been. The great grandchildren and my children adored him and he loved them back. He was “Pop”.

 

This healing was in great part because of the VA GRECC program . I got him enrolled in  VA Palo Alto GRECC program and they took care of his heath for 20 years, with the unmatched expertise of the VA program for aging vets. I cannot say enough about what a great service GRECC rendered him. After 50 years of no help, they showered him with superb preventative care, top-notch geriatricians, transportation, and financial support and at the end home care until he died.

 So on Memorial Day, I would like to offer you my own journey with a veteran and remind you of the horrible struggle that living untreated veterans can go through- salted by the anguish visited on their families. One of the most remarkable parts of the VA is its GRECC program. So happy Memorial Day Dad and all families of veterans. This is a time to honor the dead and treat the living.

Hear me tell my own story below.

Filed Under: Aging, Aging Life Care, aging life care manager, case manager, Dysfunctional Aging Familu, elder care manager, Families, geriatric care manager, geriatric social worker, nurse care manager Tagged With: aging family, aging life care manager, aging parent crisis, Aging veterans, care manager, case manager, Dysfunctional PTSD Family, geriatric care manager, nurse advocate, nurse care manager eldercare manager, PTSD in Vets World War II, Veterans

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