OP-ED by Gary Keith: “Privatizing the Clarksburg VA Nursing Home Breaks Our Promise to Veterans.” The VA nursing home privatization is a controversial topic that impacts the quality of care for elderly veterans.
There’s been talk of privatizing the Veterans Nursing Facility in Clarksburg, and it’s hitting a nerve in our community. This place isn’t just another healthcare center; it’s a lifeline for local veterans who rely on specialized care every day. Handing that lifeline over to a private entity driven by profits feels like a direct contradiction of the promises we’ve made to those who served.
For years, staff at the facility have built expertise around combat-related issues, PTSD, and the emotional toll military service can take. That sort of targeted care isn’t something you can simply replace with “efficiency” and budget cuts. If a private operator takes over and decides certain therapies or support programs aren’t profitable, the ones left to suffer will be the veterans and their families.
The community around Clarksburg has long supported the facility. Volunteers, local advocacy groups, and nearby families all pitch in to make residents feel respected, understood, and at home. Losing that sense of unity in favor of a corporation’s bottom line puts the entire spirit of this institution at risk. And if it happens here, what’s to stop it from becoming the norm for other VA facilities across the country?
Some argue that privatization leads to improvements, but it’s hard to imagine how slashing staff or cutting corners improves anything for residents with unique medical and emotional needs. This is not the time to gamble on a system that places cost concerns above the well-being of the people we claim to honor.
Those who are disturbed by this potential handover have every right to speak up. Contact your representatives, reach out to the governor’s office, and support veterans’ organizations that oppose this move. Let them know we’re paying attention and that our veterans deserve far more than a financial calculation.
— Gary Keith, Clarksburg News and Observer
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