National Center for Healthcare Advancement and Partnerships
OCE Partnerships and COVID-19
A bit of good news in difficult times: Fisher House program provides resources during COVID-19
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to affect aspects of daily life, paying attention to the positive things that Veterans and military families are experiencing is beneficial. One such piece of good news is that the Fisher House Program, which provides temporary lodging for visiting families and caregivers of hospitalized Veterans and active duty service members, has maintained continuity of service in innovative ways during COVID-19.
Fisher House offers a “home away from home” for visiting families and caregivers, similar to a Ronald McDonald House concept, said Jennifer Koget, national program manager for Fisher House & Family Hospitality Program at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The homes are constructed by the Fisher House Foundation and gifted to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense. There are 48 VA Fisher Houses and 90 Fisher Houses internationally.
These lodgings are constructed on the grounds of VA health care centers and military installations, and there is no charge to stay. There is also no time limit placed on a stay. In 2019, Ms. Koget said, Fisher House provided lodging to more than 30,000 families, saving them $20 million in lodging costs. Inside the houses, families and caregivers have access to private guest suites and multiple common areas where families can come together, including a communal kitchen.
Fisher Houses offer not only financial relief, lodging, and support with meals for some families and caregivers, but a sense of social connectedness. These are all considered social determinants of health (SDOH) that affect well-being and quality of life. SDOH are the conditions in environments where people live, work, learn, play, and age.
“Bonds are formed,” Ms. Koget said of the Fisher House experience. “They become their own community, they can rely on each other during some difficult times.”
During COVID-19, she continued, Fisher House had to make changes. The program continued to offer programming to eligible Veterans and their loved ones through hotel contracts when Fisher Houses closed due to physical distancing restrictions. Sixteen Fisher Houses were also transitioned to provide lodging for VA staff required to be on-site to support the COVID-19 response. More than 3,168 nights of lodging have been provided to VA staff since March 2020.
“Despite the pandemic, VA and Fisher House Foundation partnered to complete six Fisher House projects,” Ms. Koget said.
One testimonial from a Fisher House guest reads: “This place has been a ray of light in the dark. Thank you for treating us like family and helping us through our trials. This place has shown us there still are people who care and has helped renew our hope for the future.”
VHA’s Office of Community Engagement (OCE) focuses on the SDOH in its work to develop and support partnerships throughout VHA. OCE also manages the VHA Community Partnership Challenge, which recognizes outstanding partnerships each year. This year’s theme was the SDOH. For more on OCE’s work, please visit www.va.gov/healthpartnerships.
For more information on Fisher House, please visit: https://www.socialwork.va.gov/fisher.asp.
External Link Disclaimer: This page contains links that will take you outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs website. VA does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of the linked websites.
Posted November 04, 2020
