Posted on: Sunday, May 4, 2003

$16 million designated for veterans care home

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

The Legislature has appropriated $16 million toward construction of the $45 million, 200-bed Hilo Veterans Home.

The balance of the money to develop the home will come from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. The Veterans Home would be the first of its kind in Hawai'i, which is one of only three states that do not have a long-term-care facility for veterans.

The project was initiated by U.S. Sen. Dan Inouye, D-Hawai'i, who received a pledge from the Veteran Affairs Home Division that it would contribute 65 percent of the cost of construction. The requirement was that the state pay the other 35 percent.

The state money must still be released by Gov. Linda Lingle.

The number of residents in Hilo who are in need of a long-term-care facility is growing, said Carol Myrianthis, president of the Hilo Medical Center Foundation, which led the effort to obtain state financing.

Hilo's four long-term-care facilities, as well as Hilo Medical Center's facility, are at capacity or close to it, she said.

She said the hospital frequently has its acute beds filled because patients needing long-term-care are waiting for placement in the facility.

"As a result, patients must be held over in the emergency department until a bed is available," Myrianthis said.