Congressman Peter DeFazio (OR-04) announced Oct. 26, that the Department of Veterans Affairs will award a grant totaling $1,738,100 to construct an activities room for the memory care unit at the Edward C. Allworth Veterans Home in Lebanon.
“Veterans have courageously served our country. I have long believed that it is our obligation to properly care for the men and women who have served in our nation’s Armed Forces,” DeFazio said.
“Memory-care facilities require accommodations that can’t be provided by normal assisted living facilities. These funds will help improve quality of care for the residents … by expanding their activities room for the memory care unit – helping senior veterans struggling with memory disorders stay active.”
“The Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs is grateful to have been awarded $1.738 million from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs State Veterans Homes Construction Grant to construct a dedicated activities room for the memory care residents at our Oregon Veterans’ Home in Lebanon,” said Kelly Fitzpatrick, director of ODVA, which owns the state’s two veterans’ homes.
“This funding will improve the quality of life for our honored residents in Lebanon at a time when they need hope and support. We truly appreciate the strong partnerships that ODVA has with USDVA, Congressman DeFazio and the entire Congressional Delegation in working toward our shared goal: ensuring Oregon veterans and their families have access to the full range of their earned, life-changing benefits and resources.”
Throughout his career, DeFazio has helped pass structural changes as well as funding increases for the VA, as well as insisting that these changes translate into better service for Oregon veterans. The grant awarded by the VA is for federal assistance toward the cost to construct activities and storage rooms.