Families Matter

"Families Matter" is intended to ensure that a "family approach" to veterans’ health care is standard procedure at all facilities in the VA Healthcare - VISN 4 Network.  The family is often an integral part of a patient’s health care.  Families Matter fully recognizes the vital role that families play in ensuring the health and well being of veterans of all ages. It also acknowledges that emotional, social, and developmental support are integral components of health care.”

Providing patient and family-centered care is typically more satisfying to veterans and members of their health care team, too.  In fact, “patients and families are more likely to rate the care received as very good or excellent,” states Dawn M. Zurzolo, social worker and Families Matter coordinator at the Butler VA Medical Center.

Many programs for families are already in place in the VA Healthcare - VISN 4 Network, including educational programs that teach families about a loved one’s illness and the care that the patient needs. Network facilities also work with other community organizations that provide services to help veterans and their families. "We help identify and arrange resources for family members, wherever appropriate," says Rebecca Frey, a social worker at the Coatesville VA Medical Center. Programs such as Meals on Wheels and services provided by home health care agencies and community transportation groups can aid spouses, relatives, and friends with the care of their loved ones.

As the Network adds new clinical programs, services, and initiatives, Families Matter continues to evolve.  "We are always looking to improve the program to assure families are taken into consideration and included in new initiatives, whenever possible," says Dr. Santha Kurian, the Network's  lead physician for Families Matter.  Some of these new initiatives are My HealtheVet (which enables veterans to play a more active role in their health care), expanding women veterans’ and behavioral health care services, providing services to combat veterans returning from Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, and the Care Coordination program, which provides assistance to veterans who have chronic diseases and are at risk of hospitalization or nursing home care.

“With the introduction of My HealtheVet, veterans will be able to include their families in a new way-- through the Internet,” states Fred Walter, coordinator of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the Van Zandt VAMC inAltoona. “This service will allow the veterans to input some measurements of their health at home (e.g., blood pressure and blood sugar readings) and will be a valuable source of health information to veteran and families… right at their fingertips,” says Walter.