There's a need for almost 400 nursing home beds for veterans across the state. That's according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. As that need continues to grow, Reno Public Radio's Michelle Bliss reports that momentum and funding are also growing for the first veterans nursing home in Northern Nevada.
The Northern Nevada Veterans Home is planned for Reno and would house 96 seniors needing 24/7 care. Kat Miller is state director of Veteran Services. She says that the veterans nursing home in Boulder City is full and families generally don't want to send their loved ones more than 75 miles away from home anyway.
"We have family members in Northern Nevada that are sending veterans to nursing homes in Idaho, Utah, California, and Washington. That's not a good thing when you've got a family member with a memory care issue."
Even though Reno is home to the Sierra Nevada VA Hospital, Miller says local veterans don't have nearby options for long-term care.
"The hospital here in Reno does have some short-term bed capability, but they're really not set up well for long-term or memory care."
The project will ultimately come with a $50 million price tag. Earlier this month, Governor Brian Sandoval approved more than $14 million in state funds for the project. Miller is now waiting on a federal VA grant for more than $30 million to break ground, which could possibly be as early as next year.
