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Politics & Government

Veterans Want Their LTV

After residents of the Paramus Veterans Memorial Home had their lobby television removed from the facility, a relative of one of the veterans is asking the facility to return it.

When a television was removed from the lobby of the Paramus Veterans Memorial Home at 1 Veterans Drive after 20 years, Ramsey resident Karen Freitag Heffler, the daughter of one of the residents, started an online petition to have it returned.

According to Heffler, the lobby television was used primarily by able-bodied veterans interested in the news, classic films, sports, and socializing.

“They like to hang out and watch the comings and goings of visitors,” said Heffler, adding the removal of the television will force veterans to watch games alone in their nursing home rooms. “It [lobby] gives them an opportunity to socialize and make new friends.”

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Heffler said while the six community day rooms have televisions, they are essentially areas for less able-bodied veterans monitored by aides and nurses 24/7.

“Most, if not all, day room regulars really require assistance,” Heffler added. “For them, they don't watch TV as a group per se. Day rooms are where patients are warehoused, a necessary function in facilities such as this. Very little socialization takes place in day rooms.”

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But according to Dianne Tabron-Felder, CEO of Paramus Veterans Memorial Home, in addition to the six community day rooms, each equipped with televisions, veterans can view programming in a . The cost to construct the room equiped with two, 52-inch televisions was $2.6 million with 65 percent coming from Veterans Administration funds.  

As for the reason why the lobby television was removed, Felder says it was a fire safety issue according to a state fire inspector who found the congestion in the lobby during televised games to be unsafe.

“We have a state fire inspector who has to inspect all buildings to make sure we’re in compliance with the NFTA [Nation Fire Inspection Association] manual and cannot block an egress,” Felder explained. “And the TV was in an area that was blocking the egress.”

“When too many people congregated, it became a safety hazard,” Felder added. “And my primary purpose here is to provide safety and security for all patients and their family members that come to visit.”      

But Heffler argues the multipurpose room is closed when many sporting events takes place on the weekends, and blames congestion in the lobby to lines formed during meal times.  

As for the availability of the multipurpose room, Heffler said in a letter to Felder, "I contacted many of the politicians present for those ribbon cuttings, and was told by them and their staff about the construction issues, and the expected date of the multi-purpose room to officially open."

She also said in part, "The date passed long ago, and the multi-purpose room, while open on a limited basis, does not in any way represent the room's intended purpose as a gathering place for residents and their families, as well as scheduled activities."

Felder said while the veteran’s home is in the process of adding staff to increase availability to the multi-purpose room, the veterans' home in constrained by budgetary issues.

“We have to make sure we have staff there to help residents turn the channels and activities of daily living,” Felder said. “I’m not going to put them [veterans] in a room far away without someone to supervise them.”

“Due to state budget cuts, we’re not hiring as quickly as we would like, but it is our intention to have that room opened later on the weekend,” Felder added. “Before this [multipurpose] room they had no place but their bedside, the day room, and the lobby area.”

Nevertheles, Heffler is disappointed, inisisting the rights of veterans are not considered.

“They [veterans] complained at their monthly meeting and it was not addressed at all," Heffler said. "They feel defeated.”

“I want to make a little difference, especially with the winter months coming,” Heffler added. “Give them back their space. Without the TV, there is no excuse for the nubies to sit there. This is what gets them involved in the group.”

Felder is planning to address the lobby television issue during the facility family meeting on Thursday, 6pm.

To learn more about the Facebook "Bring Back the Vets' TV" petition, click here

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