GWVH-Milledgeville

The Georgia War Veterans Home, situated on approximately 17 acres in Milledgeville, is a 375-bed facility licensed and certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to provide skilled nursing care to aged and infirm Georgia war veterans. 

The home operated three skilled nursing care facilities in 2022. The Carl Vinson Building remains at an 84–bed capacity, the Joe T. Wood Building remains at a 140–bed capacity and the Alzheimer ’s Unit remains at a 24–bed capacity.

The Richard B. Russell Building is undergoing major renovations for a new 58-bed skilled care sub-acute therapy unit which will treat service-connected disabled veterans as part of the home. Construction of a 14–bed facility to support the sub-acute therapy unit and a food service facility to provide on campus meal was completed in 2022.

Residents have access to several recreational facilities. These include a fitness center; an 18-hole miniature golf course; a library; computers with Internet access and Skype; and a multi-purpose recreation center with pool tables, table games, books, and a large collection of movies.

The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities transferred a portion of the Central State Campus, known as Cedar Pond, to the Georgia Department of Veterans Service for use by the Georgia War Veterans Home as a recreational area for veteran patients. This area consists of 54 acres, which includes an 8 acre pond for fishing, a covered pavilion, and a club house with kitchen. Cedar Pond will support many parties and other activities for veterans and provide an opportunity to get away from the nursing home for fun and relaxation.

Renovation of this area has begun which includes painting, repairing air conditioners, new flooring and several other small cosmetic repairs. The grounds will have general landscaping development and road repairs. A dock will be built for access to the pond for fishing and enjoying the water. They will also enjoy seeing the many wildlife that reside there. GWVH-Milledgeville is very excited about this facility and looks forward to many years of entertainment from this expansion.

The GDVS Veterans Field Service Office serving veterans in the home and in Baldwin, Hancock, Putnam, Washington, and Wilkinson counties is located in the Wheeler Building. This office also serves veteran patients of the Home by assisting them with compensation and pension claims, counseling services, and family-related issues.

During fiscal year 2022, veteran patients at the home received 60,637 days of skilled nursing care. The nursing home admitted 86 patients during the year and had 103 discharges/deaths. The average length of stay for current skilled veteran patients is 1,583 days or 4.3 years

During fiscal year 2022, federal assistance in funding a portion of the cost of providing care to veterans in the home amounted to $11,247,517.

As in previous years, many veterans service organizations, civic groups, and church groups continued their sponsorship of numerous activities such as movies, games, dance parties, bingo, picnics, and other activities and programs for the general well-being of the veteran patients at the home. 

Groups and individuals that comprised the equivalent of 559 individual volunteers provided more than 2,092 hours of time valued at over $25,104 and presented 82 activities during fiscal year 2022.

The value of donated items made available to the home during fiscal year 2022 was $84,695. Groups and individuals also provided direct monetary donations of $24,686 in support of special activities and projects.

The home also hosts a VA community clinic that provides outpatient care to veterans in Baldwin and the surrounding counties.