Dear friend,
Today is Veterans Day – a day we celebrate and honor America’s veterans for their heroism, patriotism and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.
Thank you to all who have served, both past and present. I want to extend my utmost gratitude to you for your bravery and the example you set forth for us all. For those who aren’t veterans, I urge you to reach out to anyone you know who has served to protect us and thank them for your freedom. Without their dedication, we wouldn’t be where we are today. You can even send a virtual message to an individual or to the home staff at an Illinois Veterans’ Home by clicking here.
In honor of Veterans Day, we celebrated the opening of the new Chicago Veterans’ Home along with the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the Illinois Capital Development Board. The home is the first state veterans’ retirement facility to open in 20 years and the first to serve the Chicagoland area.
Prior to the construction of the Chicago home, the closest veterans’ homes were in Manteno and LaSalle, making it difficult for retiring veterans to remain near their loved ones. We have all worked hard for the project for over a decade and many people have played a key role in securing funding for the long-awaited facility during budget negotiations.
The new 187,000-square-foot, five-story facility is located on the Northwest Side of Chicago and embraces the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Community Living Center guidelines, which advocate a culture change from a medical model to a resident-centered model of care.
Unlike many nursing homes of the past, a community living center resembles a family home as much as possible. The architecture of the Chicago Veteran’s Home supports this resident focus by creating sixteen total “households,” four of which are specifically dedicated to residents with dementia care needs.
Veterans interested in applying for residence at the Chicago Veterans’ Home can should contact the home’s administrator, T’Kira Siler-Wilkinson, at tkira.wilkinson@illinois.gov for additional information.
Veterans, please know you are appreciated, and there are many resources available to you. For more information, visit the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs here or locate your veteran service officer.
Thank you, all.
Robert Martwick
State Senator, 10th District
