KEARNEY – The Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs (NDVA) has set January 16, 2019, as the date for the transition to the state-of-the-art Central Nebraska Veterans’ Home (CNVH) in Kearney. After an inspection by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Licensure Unit division on December 17th, the facility will be ready for occupancy. The move itself will then take place after the holiday season.
"This is a massive project that has been years in the making,” said NDVA Director John Hilgert. "It’s exciting to see the finish line and know we’ll be crossing it with no doubt the facility is exactly what our veterans deserve.”
Members’ families will help with the transition, as well as volunteers who have been training as "moving buddies.” They will ensure members’ rooms are prepared for their arrival and help members move their belongings into the facility.
"We want to make the move-in a special day for our members,” said Facility Administrator Alex Willford. "They’re excited to have this as their new home, and our team and volunteers are working to make sure they feel welcomed when they arrive.”
The CNVH is a 338,000-square-foot facility that is comprised of ten buildings on 67 acres. The main building—Juliet—is home to administration offices, a chapel, library, ceramics area, woodshop, Foxhole Lounge, guest rooms for traveling visitors, pharmacy, medical clinic, dental suite, and more. Connected to Juliet are two hubs, Golf and Hotel, which house physical, occupational, and speech therapy areas and a restorative kitchen. The therapy area will be one of the few in the country with an anti-gravity treadmill.
The hubs branch off to the facility’s six neighborhoods—Alpha, Bravo, Charlie Delta, Echo, and Foxtrot. Each neighborhood has three homes, which include communal living spaces, a kitchen, and 12-15 member rooms. The homes offer various levels of care, including domiciliary, palliative, memory support, and skilled care.