elderly care

As we age we begin to think about what will happen to us when we are no longer able to safely live on our own. Some people have saved enough money to live in beautiful senior communities, while others move into assisted living facilities or nursing homes depending on the level of additional care needed. Others live with one of their children becoming an important daily fixture in their grandchildren's lives.

But everyone doesn't have family to rely on, nor does everyone want to move into a facility. So then what happens? Well, if you're a military veteran there's another option to choose. Medical Foster Home Program for veterans has been around since 2002 and started in just three states but has expanded to 47 states caring for over 700 veterans over 65 according to CBS Evening News.

The program works by placing veterans in the actual home of a caregiver. That caregiver may or may not have their own children living in the home along with the family. Having the aging veterans in a family environment provides deeper connections with others. In one foster home highlighted in the CBS interview, three veterans live together with a woman that has two small children of her own.

The three men, Charles Mcoubrie, Peter Samaris and Eco Harteis are all happy living with Shantel Cross and her children. If you thought the foster home was essentially like living in a small nursing home, you'd be wrong. They have an intertwined and active life with the family that they're living with.

"It's nice here and being in a nursing home, they just throw you away, they ignore you but here we're like part of the family," one of the men shares.

Cross takes the men to activities, they attend a senior daycare center and through the program receive medical and mental health care. The nurse and social worker come to the home where the men live to provide services. These men are fully a part of Cross' family and seem to be thriving under her care. People are thrilled about this opportunity for elderly people with one person writing, "this should be a universal program for all aging populations. I hope benefits will eventually go to non-vets too. What a great program."

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"This young woman is amazing! She has to shop, cook, clean and do laundry for those three men? And take care of her children? That is a lot a lot of work 24/7. I can definitely see the benefits, but don’t burn out young lady," someone commends Cross.

"So beautiful. Everyone has a place to belong and someone to love and love on them. Tears of joy and a heartful. They soooo richly deserve this. Just the ability to be human and let love be the healer," another writes.

"That’s great it’s in most of the states, awesome gesture for Vets hats off to people who provide homes for them," one person says while another shares that the caregives should be called "angel caregivers."

Hopefully this program continues to grow to reach all 50 states. Caring for elderly veterans may not always be easy but according to Cross, it's very rewarding.