The Southwest Louisiana War Veterans Home sits on more than 40 acres at 1610 Evangeline Road in Jennings, Louisiana, and has been around since 2004, standing as part of the state's system of veterans homes, all run by the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs. The place was built to care for war veterans and tries to offer everything those folks might need as they get older, so you'll find skilled nursing, long-term and short-term care, and special Alzheimer's and dementia care here, with a separate capacity for 55 beds just for those needs, plus 132 more beds for regular nursing care. There's a big staff of about 153 to 165 full-time workers, many of them devoted health care professionals who help with physical, occupational, and speech therapy daily-folks get comprehensive medical care, memory care, palliative care, medication management, and help with daily activities, along with centralized pharmacy support, which just means their medicines are all taken care of under one roof, and the staff do their best to support residents' mental and social well-being, so plenty of friendly faces are around.
The grounds are spread across over 91,000 square feet, so you've got wide hallways, access to a big activities building with a sports and game lounge, a large chapel for anyone who wants quiet time or services, and a fishing lake of 3 ½ acres with two piers, perfect for anyone who likes to fish or wander under the trees, and there are a whole bunch of fruit trees around, with nice spots to sit and talk or just enjoy the outdoors. The home organizes different events like watermelon parties, musical concerts, game shows, staff gatherings, job fairs, and birthday parties, always looking for something to keep people active and involved. Veterans living here can also get rides to the VA hospital in Alexandria and to area clinics if they need appointments, making it a bit easier to get to their specialty care. The home's known in the area as a landmark for its role in caring for veterans, and they try to make life here comfortable and supportive, focusing on healing and living well. There's more information, like a picture tour of the building, available online at the home's official webpage.
