Colorado's five Veterans Community Living Centers are resident-centered long-term care and supportive living environments that serve honorably discharged veterans, their spouses/widows, and Gold Star parents of children who died while serving in the armed forces.
- Veterans Community Living Centers Needs Assessment
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We are pleased to share the Colorado Veterans Community Living Centers Needs Assessment. This report was commissioned by CDHS to identify both present and future needs of our veteran populations throughout the state. It was prepared by the Colorado Health Institute.
Click the links below to read the report, as well as related documents:
The services we offer
Colorado’s Veterans Community Living Centers offer the following services:
- Long-term care: These services include skilled nursing care; speech, physical and occupational therapy; social activities; and assistance with bathing, dressing and other daily activities.
- Short-term rehabilitation: Individuals seeking to return home following a qualifying hospital stay can work to regain skills and improve physical strength, endurance and aerobic capacity through Medicare-certified rehabilitation services.
- Domiciliary cottages (similar to assisted living): The Veterans Community Living Center at Homelake (Monte Vista) offers assisted living-like services in 48 recently renovated cottages.
- Memory care services: Specialized care for individuals with dementia is offered in all Veterans Community Living Centers. Secure units are available at the Veterans Community Living Centers at Fitzsimons, Florence, Rifle and Walsenburg.
- Short-term “respite” care: Respite care can provide a helpful option when homecare providers are unavailable. These short-term stays are offered at the Veterans Community Living Centers at Florence, Homelake, Rifle and Walsenburg.
- End-of-life/hospice services: Comfort-oriented care is offered at all Veterans Community Living Centers.
How our centers are different
Thousands of residents and families in nursing care centers across the country are surveyed for their customer satisfaction. Our Veterans Community Living Centers use a company named Pinnacle to conduct these surveys throughout the year. Our resident and family satisfaction consistently scores above average in the prestigious Best in Class category. Our homes have won awards for their exceptional customer satisfaction.
- The things that set us apart
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Veteran camaraderie and respect
Our Veterans Community Living Centers serve only veterans, veterans’ spouses and Gold-Star Parents, creating a unique atmosphere among long-term care centers. Residents enjoy camaraderie with other veterans and respect from staff and volunteers, who value the contributions these service men, women and their families have made to our country.
Comprehensive daily rate
We offer one comprehensive daily rate, with no extra charges for:
- Medications
- Primary care physician services
- Oxygen
- Wheelchairs
- Other medical supplies
- Physical, speech and occupational therapy
- Transportation to medical appointments
Meaningful activities and resident involvement
Many of our Veterans Community Living Centers have embraced a long-term care culture change movement. Several of our Caregivers, staff, residents and family members can receive training designed by culture change pioneer The Eden Alternative. Based on this training, the staff strives to make our community more like home. Some of the culture change approaches used at our living centers include:
- Caring for the human spirit as well as the human body: At our Veterans Community Living Centers, we understand that our residents’ outlook and attitude can affect their health and sense of physical wellness. That’s why we take extra measures to meet the non-physical needs of our residents in addition to their medical needs. Our staff strives to prevent residents’ feelings of helplessness, loneliness and boredom — the three common plagues associated with long-term care environments. By encouraging our residents to make more of their own decisions about their health care, daily schedules and activities, we can help them enjoy a continued sense of control over their own lives.
- Opportunities to get involved: Residents are encouraged to participate in our resident council, where they vote on entertainment, meals and special activities. Several resident and staff committees plan ways to develop or expand programs to welcome new residents and explore ways to incorporate pets into the living center.
- Family visits: Our living centers are child-friendly, and we help make extended family visits practical and fun for everyone.
- Volunteers: Download our volunteer application form.
Family satisfaction
In surveys conducted over the past five years, family members of residents have reported a high degree of satisfaction with the care their loved ones are receiving. These surveys were conducted by Pinnacle, a national long-term care evaluation firm with the largest set of senior care satisfaction data in the nation.
Nursing attention
Veterans Community Living Centers strive to ensure that nursing staff coverage meets the needs of our residents. According to data reported by Medicare’s Nursing Home Compare website, Colorado’s Veterans Community Living Centers consistently have exceeded national averages for the number of registered nurse staff hours per resident per day.
Alzheimer's and dementia care
We are accustomed to assessing the abilities and interests of residents with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Based on information about each resident, we design and customize activities to meet their needs.
Learn more about Alzheimer's and dementia care at our centers.
Eligibility and admission
Honorably discharged veterans, veterans' spouses or widows, and Gold-Star parents are eligible for long-term care or short-term rehabilitation in our homes. Medical criteria also must be met. Our admission team will work with family members to gather the necessary paperwork and to ensure that we can meet the prospective resident's medical needs.
- Admission forms for individual facilities
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Veterans Community Living Center at Fitzsimons
Bruce McCandless Veterans Community Living Center at Florence
Veterans Community Living Center at Homelake
Veterans Community Living Center at Rifle
Spanish Peaks Veterans Community Living Center at Walsenburg
Rates and payment
- Long-term care
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For a long-term care stay, our Veterans Community Living Centers accept Medicaid or Medicaid-eligible residents as well as private payment. Additional VA benefits based on income and assets may be available for wartime veterans and their widows/spouses. Staff can assist with residents' applications for both VA benefits and Medicaid.
Our daily rates are competitive with other area nursing homes, and are often lower. Our unique payment structure includes the cost of all medications, restorative therapies, oxygen, incontinence products, other medical supplies, wheelchairs, primary care physician services and transportation to medical appointments.
- Short-term rehabilitation
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For individuals who meet Medicare Part A eligibility requirements, Medicare typically covers the cost of short-term rehabilitation services for up to 20 days. Medicare eligibility can possibly be available after an individual has a qualifying hospital stay and needs short term rehabilitation services. After the first 20 days, a portion of the short-term rehabilitation cost must be paid by supplemental insurance or by the patient/family. Medicare coverage depends on a patient's on-going progress and other Medicare rules. For more information, please contact our Admissions office.
- Rates for individual centers
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Veterans Community Living Center at Fitzsimons
Daily rates for veterans
- Semi-private room: $240.00*
- Private room: $260.00*
- Semi-private room, memory care unit: $240.00*
- Private room, memory care unit: $260.00*
Daily rates for spouses and Gold Star parents:
- Semi-private room: $357.93
- Private room: $377.93
- Semi-private room, memory care unit: $357.93
- Private room, memory care unit: $377.93
Bruce McCandless Veterans Community Living Center at Florence
Skilled nursing care
- Veteran rate: $173.49*
- Non-veteran rate: $291.42
Secure memory care area
- Veteran rate: $180.49*
- Non-veteran rate: $298.42
Respite care
- Veteran rate: $148.83*
- Non-veteran respite rate: $258.25
Veterans Community Living Center at Homelake
Daily rates for veterans
- Semi-private room: $135.00*
- Private room: $146.00
Daily rates for spouses and Gold Star parents:
- Semi-private room: $262.17
- Private room: $273.17
Daily rates for cottages/domiciliary
- Income-qualified veterans: $55.00*
- Spouses and Gold Star parents: $109.89
Veterans Community Living Center at Rifle
Daily rates for veterans
- Semi-private room: $172.71*
- Semi-private room, memory care unit: $185.71*
Daily rates for spouses and Gold Star parents:
- Semi-private room: $290.64
- Semi-private room, memory care unit: $303.64
Spanish Peaks Veterans Community Living Center at Walsenburg
Daily rates for veterans
- Semi-private room: $149.65*
- Private room: $164.35*
- Memory care semi-private room: $157.55*
Daily rates for spouses and Gold Star parents
- Semi-private room: $262.01*
- Private room: $276.71*
- Memory care semi-private room: $269.91*
* The daily rates for long-term care are lower for veterans (vs. veterans' spouses and Gold Star parents) because a portion of the cost of care for veterans is covered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Contact us
Contact information for each Veterans Community Living Center is on that center's individual page. Click on the boxes above to visit individual pages.