Nursing Home Design Guide
2006
1.1.2 VA Trends in Nursing Home
of veterans may also be served by
Care
encouraging the individual states to
develop state Nursing Homes in
The projected aging of the veteran
locations that are convenient to veteran
population is an important driving force
populations.
in the design of VA Nursing Homes.
1.1.3 Codes, Standards and
VA realizes that those most vulnerable
Executive Orders
of the older veteran population,
particularly those over 85, are most
VA functions as the Authority Having
likely to require some level of care
Jurisdiction (AHJ) for all VA facilities and
including short or long term institutional
projects and has the responsibility to
Nursing Home care.
guard public health and safety through
enforcement of its adopted codes. VA is
Nursing Home care is only one aspect
not subject to enforcement of local and
of a continuum of care. It is important
state codes.
that Veterans are placed in the least
restrictive, most cost effective, and most
Local authorities should be notified
desirable setting possible. Nursing
about planning projects and given the
Home care is reserved for those whose
opportunity to review drawings.
functional limitations and resources are
Although there are exceptions, formal
such that institutional care in the best
drawing reviews, building permits,
alternative.
inspections and fees do not generally
apply to Federal facilities.
VA's approach to Nursing Home care
has evolved from a hospital focused
Design, construction, renovation and
model to one that is resident-centered
installation of all VA Nursing Home Care
and home-like. It has been determined
Units (NHCUs) must be in accordance
that Nursing Homes should focus care
with this document and with the latest
resources around the individual resident
editions and/or revisions of all applicable
instead of taking the resident to the
codes and standards.
point of care.
It is recommended that all other Nursing
There are various types of services that
Homes serving US veterans, such as
Nursing Homes provide such as
State Veterans Homes, also comply,
dementia care, spinal cord injury care,
with the codes and standards
short stay skilled nursing, short stay
referenced here. The more stringent
rehabilitation, long stay maintenance,
code and/or standard are to be applied
hospice and respite care.
to VA facilities. Nothing in this Design
Understanding that each of these
Guide should be construed as
distinct services requires a unique set of
authorization or permission to disregard
competencies has implications for
or violate local and legal requirements.
overall facility design.
Although VA owns and operates its own
NHCUs, VA recognizes that the needs
Office of Facilities Management
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