GWVNH-Augusta
The Georgia War Veterans Nursing Home (GWVNH) in Augusta is a 192-bed skilled nursing care facility located adjacent to the campus of the Augusta University and the Charlie Norwood Veterans Affairs Medical Center. It is operated under an interagency agreement between the Georgia Department of Veterans Service and Augusta University.
Primarily, the facility provides medical and nursing services to Georgia’s aged and infirmed veterans. GWVNH also serves as a teaching facility to acquaint medical, pharmacy, and allied health students with the medical conditions and diseases of the aged. This provides students with practical experience and helps them gain expertise in treating the disabled and the elderly.
Also located at the facility is a GDVS Veterans Field Service Office that serves veterans of Richmond and Columbia counties.
Dedicated in 1969, the facility was the first of its kind in the nation to be built with financial grant assistance from the federal government. It is one of a select group of such institutions accredited by The Joint Commission.
In fiscal year 2019, the nursing home provided 53,288 days of care to Georgia’s veterans with an average age of 82. During the year, there were 272 admissions and 286 discharges with an average length of stay of 213 days.
Services to patients included 5,681 physical therapy treatments and 7,224 individual occupational therapy procedures.
Veteran patients were treated by a medical director and family medicine residents providing daily physician coverage. Other services were provided by a certified activities therapist and staff, three facility social workers and a staff of registered, licensed practical nurses and certified nursing assistants.
To help provide care and treatment, the federal government, through the Department of Veterans Affairs, provided financial assistance totaling in excess of $8.1 million during fiscal year 2019.
Throughout the year, veteran service organizations, civic and fraternal organizations and religious groups demonstrated their concern for the well-being of veteran patients through numerous donations, visits, and sponsorship of frequent activities for Georgia War Veterans Nursing Home residents.