VA ECHCS News and Stories
The National Veteran Creative Arts Festival is coming to Denver and Aurora!
The National Veterans Creative Arts Festival (NVCAF) is a celebration of the creativity of veteran artists in the VA health care system. The festival will consist of a grand finale stage show, along with art and writing exhibitions that are the culmination of talent competitions in art, creative writing, dance, drama, and music for veterans treated in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) national health care system. The event is co-presented by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the American Legion Auxiliary.
Approximately 130 veterans, representing all branches of U.S. military service, will exhibit their artwork, share their original written work, or perform musical dance or dramatic selections in a stage show. Local artists from eastern Colorado are also participating in the Festival. Additionally, veterans’ caregivers will enjoy special programming throughout the week geared specifically toward them.
Thursday May 16, join us for the Stage Show performance at 7 p.m. at the University of Denver Center for Performing Arts in the June Swaner Gates Convert Hall. Tickets can be found on the NVCAF Eventbrite page. Friday, May 17, 2024, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. join us at Stanley Marketplace, 2501 Dallas St, Aurora, CO, 80010, for an open art and writing exhibition. Tickets not required for this event.
Video Spotlight on Creative Arts at VA ECHCS
Nationwide, VA medical facilities use the creative arts as one form of rehabilitative treatment to help veterans recover from and cope with wide ranging physical and emotional injuries and disabilities. Locally, we're lucky to be able to showcase veteran art work throughout our concourse at our Rocky Mountain VA Medical Facility
Visit our YouTube page to hear a few VA ECHCS veterans talk about the benefits of the creative arts as we gear up to host the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival.
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Kick-off Video for NVCAF
If you can't tell, we're excited for the National Veteran Creative Arts Festival here in Denver and Aurora! If this is your first NVCAF, visit our YouTube page to view our "NVCAF Kick-off Video" and see what you can expect when attending the festival this year.
Over 130 veterans from all over the country, representing all branches of the U.S. military, will be here showing off their talents! Share this video with a friend to encourage them to join us for the NVCAF. We're excited for you to see all the talented veterans coming to Colorado.
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Upcoming Construction at Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Campus
Beginning Monday, May 13, RMR VAMC will be re-striping and re-sealing all three of our parking garages and the above ground parking plazas at each entrance, as well as the underground loading dock.
The work will start in the North Visitor Parking garage and continue through September, going approximately 6 weeks each in the two above ground parking garages (one garage staff only) and approximately 4 weeks in the underground garage. Each half floor should take approximately 2-3 days to complete. Work will be done one half floor at a time, so that there will always be access to the ramps. Ramps, first floor access areas and plazas will be done on weekends.
When the parking areas are ready we’ll re-open to traffic and move on to the next area.
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Openings in Medical Foster Home Program- Caregivers & Veterans
The Medical Foster Home (MFH) Program provides an alternative to nursing home placement through the collaboration between the veteran and his/her family or legal representative paying for the care, the medical foster home caregivers providing the care and the VHA through the Home Based Primary Care team providing primary care in the homes.
The MFH program is an alternative setting for dependent, chronically or terminally ill veterans with limited family support who prefer a community family setting for their long-term care.
The MFH program provides a community-based living arrangement for adults who are unable to live independently because of physical or mental impairments or disabilities. The program provides 24-hour supervision, protection, and personal care in addition to room and board with one-on-one attention provided in a family setting.
The MFH program has current openings for Veterans and caregivers. For more information, please contact Kelsey Mansorian, LCSW, Medical Foster Home Coordinator at Kelsey.mansorian@va.gov.
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Remembering Our Veterans Program
Meet Norma Farmer, a U.S. Navy veteran who joined the service in 1983 at the age of 30. Norma grew up in Santa Cruz, CA, and being the oldest of four children, a lot of responsibility fell on her. After graduating from high school in 1971, she soon got married and had three boys. Struggling to keep a job and raise her children, Norma considered joining the Navy as a way to improve her situation, and as a risk taker, she looked forward to the challenge. After boot camp in Florida and Advanced Individual Training school in Philadelphia, she was able to come back to California and see her children and family regularly.
Norma’s military career took her to South Carolina and Virginia and the countries of Spain, Italy, and Cuba. During the Persian Gulf War, she went out to sea to train the crews of several ships in Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Defense (CBR-D). She was the only female of a five-man team and was often the only female aboard the ships. Her last duty station was in Norfolk, VA where she taught Gas Free Engineering, Firefighting, and Damage Control.
After 16 years of serving, Norma medically retired in 1999 as a Damage Controlman Chief. She later adopted four children and, in 2002, she began working for a military contractor on the East Coast, becoming an instructor in dozens of courses dealing with life skills, suicide prevention, communication, and finances, among other subjects. Norma fully retired in 2019 and now lives in the small town of Cañon City, CO.
Visit our YouTube page to hear Norma talk about her journey.
Remembering Our Veterans is a "living history" video memoir program in which VA staff and volunteers engage veterans in meaningful conversations about their military service and other significant life experiences. To learn more about the Remembering Our Veterans program and how you can get involved, please email rov.echcs@va.gov or call 720-723-3864.
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Recent Stories From VA ECHCS
Veteran stunned by cancer diagnosis chronicles her treatment journey to help others
By April Love, VISN 19 writer & editor
Imagine going to the emergency room (ER) with a swollen foot and shortness of breath and leaving with a cancer diagnosis. U.S. Navy Veteran Adele Doctor doesn’t have to imagine this scenario—she lived it.
A tough reality
Her decision to visit the ER at Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center in December 2023 probably saved her life.
While in the ER, biopsies were ordered that revealed abnormalities in this Veteran’s kidneys and bone marrow. Doctors shared the test results and the sobering diagnosis of multiple myeloma, a cancer of mature plasma cells in the bone marrow.
Approximately 32,000 cases of multiple myeloma are diagnosed in the U.S. each year, accounting for 1% of all cancers diagnosed, according to a National Library of Medicine report from 2022.
Adele Doctor needed to begin chemotherapy immediately.
“I had to take a minute,” she said. “I had been feeling fine before this. I didn’t know I was that sick.”
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VA nurses ensure consistent care for traveling Veterans
By April Love, VISN 19 writer & editor
A Veteran who is traveling or transferring to an area served by a different VA health care system can maintain medical care without interruption or treatment delay. It simply requires pre-planning.
Maintaining consistent care
Retired U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Daniel Klee, a registered nurse with more than 35 years of experience, has worked as a traveling Veteran coordinator for VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System (VA ECHCS) since 2016.
“My responsibility is to assist with care coordination for traveling Veterans requesting care through Eastern Colorado Health Care System and for Vets traveling or relocating to other VA health care systems,” he said. “I’m a Veteran helping Veterans. This is a great program that helps traveling Vets who might otherwise fall through the cracks and think no one can assist them with their medical needs when they are away from home.”
Pre-planning starts the process
When a Veteran is preparing to travel or relocate—either permanently or temporarily—that person informs their primary care team. Together, they discuss the services the Veteran may need while they are away, and the traveling nurse coordinator directs and organizes this care with VA ECHCS and the destination or origin facility.
Klee said coordination is consult-driven, starting when a traveling Veteran consult is received from another VA system for care coordination through VA ECHCS.
Even if Veterans are living abroad, VA care can be coordinated.
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Get Moving with Whole Health
Move your body in May! If there was a single prescription that could prevent and treat dozens of diseases like diabetes or high blood pressure, it would be physical activity. We have hundreds of muscles that need to stay active. Simply increasing body movement can slow aging, reduce pain, increase energy, and improve anxiety and depression.
Visit the VA Whole Health YouTube page to learn how moving helps your body and your mind along with ideas for activity that will help you Live Whole Health.
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Work with VA ECHCS
VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System is always looking for individuals with a passion for serving Veterans. In fact, many of our employees are Veterans. We have open positions in clinical, administrative and facility management positions. Make the difference in the lives of Veterans and apply to work with us!
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