If you are a veteran, the spouse of a veteran, or a family member and are interested in finding out more about the application process at the Minnesota State Veterans Home in Preston, Minn., this article will answer your questions.
The newly built home is located at 905 Windmill Road in the picturesque hills above Preston, Minn., a community of 1,350. Preston, located in the scenic Root River Valley, is known for being a veteran friendly community.
The first step in the process is to get your name on the waiting list. The wait is approximately eight months long. Preston Veterans Home Administrator David Dunn recommends, “Get your name on the list. Planning is good for all of us.”
The home started accepting resident applications on September 15, 2022, at 8 a.m. Residents have now begun moving in.
There are two waiting lists. “The first is an inactive waiting list, a dormant list which is reviewed annually, and an active waiting list for those who want to get in as soon as they can,” shared Dunn.
In June 2023, there were 90 names on the waiting list. “Six of those were non-veterans, meaning they are the spouse of a veteran,” explained Dunn. “We start at the top of the waiting list and call those individuals. Some are on the active waiting list, and some are on the inactive waiting list, which means they are not ready for this level of care yet. They just want to get their name on the list so when the time comes that they are ready for a skilled nursing facility, they don’t have to start at the bottom of the list. We take admissions strictly off the waiting list. So, when we opened, we started with the first 20 residents. We went through the first half of that list, or the first quarter of that list, and talked to probably the first one through 30 to see if they were eligible. When we had 20 that were eligible, those were the first 20 that could be admitted.”
A two-page application form and a short admissions video can be found online at www.mn.gov/mdva/homes/admissions-information.jsp. The video summarizes the admission process in a short easy-to-understand format.
How long does the admission process take? It could take 30 days. In summary, the home is going through the list and talking to families. Applicants will need documentation from their primary care physician. A financial review is conducted to make sure that a potential veteran is eligible and how much the Federal Veterans Administration (VA) will cover for their stay.
Potential residents should first call their local county veterans service office for copies of the financial eligibility forms. Dunn noted, “That is all determined by the Federal Veterans Administration; we don’t do anything internally. The only thing we do internally is determine what their maintenance fee is.”
Applicants need to return a completed application form to the home and include the following information with their signed application:
a.A copy of your (or your spouse’s) Armed Forces Discharge Forms (DD214)
b.Legal documents that reflect a decision maker, such as: Power of Attorney for Health Care/Finances, Health Care Directive or Legal Guardianship/Conservatorship
c.Marriage certificate (only required if applying as a spouse of a veteran)
Who is eligible? Eligible residents are both eligible veterans and spouses of eligible veterans. According to the state website, the eligibility requirements for living at the state veterans home in Preston are:
Individuals must demonstrate a medical or clinical need for admission and be:
•Discharged under honorable conditions from any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces and is a current resident of Minnesota who served 181 consecutive days on active duty unless discharged earlier because of disability incurred in the line of duty.
•The spouse of an eligible veteran who is at least 55 years old and meets residency requirements.
•Able to demonstrate a medical or clinical need for admission.
What are examples of a medical or clinical need? “It is a skilled nursing facility, meaning you must meet some kind of skilled need. Such as assistance with feeding or daily living activities such as bathing, toileting, and ambulating. Things like that,” explained Dunn.
What are the residents’ costs? “It is all based on what type of care they need as well as if they have a service-connected disability, which is determined by the Federal Veterans Administration. There could be some residents who are called 70 percenters, of which all or part of their per diem or daily rate is covered. You could have some veterans who don’t have any coverage, and then their rate would be based on how much care they need. It depends on income resources. It is not automatic.”
For more information, visit the home’s website at mn.gov/mdva/homes/preston/ or visit the their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/PrestonMNVetsHome/. You can also send an email to newhomesadmissions@state.mn.us or for general information, email PrestonVeteransHome.MDVA@state.mn.us.
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