WHO:  
Keynote Speaker Major General Paul J. Glazar, The Adjutant General
Guest Speaker, Raymond Nadaskay, Nadaskay Kopelson Architects
Woodbridge High School 90 piece band 
New Jersey Army and Air National Guard Color Guard
Chaplain Linda Hora, N.J. Veterans Memorial Home Menlo Park
  
WHAT: Dedication Ceremony for the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home in Menlo Park 

WHEN: Thursday, October 26, 2000 at 11:00 AM

WHERE: New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home in Menlo Park 132 Evergreen Road, Edison, NJ

DIRECTIONS: From the Garden State Parkway exit 131 (Route 27) bear to the right off the Parkway.  Turn left on Evergreen Road.  The home is ½ mile on left.
From Route 1 North (2 miles north of I-287) take the Parsonage Road jughandle and cross  Route 1.  At the 3rd light turn right on Oakwood Ave.  The home is ¼ mile on right.
From Route 1 South (about 1 mile south of the Parkway) turn right on Parsonage Road.  At the 3rd light turn right on Oakwood Ave.  The home is ¼ mile on right.

DETAILS: The New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home in Menlo Park will host a dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday, October 26, 2000 at 11:00 AM.  The 3 ½  year construction project to consolidate and modernize the sprawling campus of more than 15 buildings over 54 acres into one modern, efficient, two-story building has been completed.  “We are proud of our new facility, it is now the most state-of-the-art veterans nursing home in the country,” said Dr. Mel Friedman, chief executive officer.

In addition to consolidating both residents and resident services into one building, the new facility added 92 beds for a total capacity of 332 full-time residents. One historical building of the old campus still remains and houses the grounds and landscaping shop.  A new annex was also built for the maintenance shops.

A new service - Adult Day Care will soon be provided by the home.  The Adult Day Care was outfitted and designed for 32 participants daily and is scheduled to begin operations next year.  “It will allow someone who does not need the full-time services of a nursing home to remain at home longer.  It will provide an alternative to families where both children work and the parent needs supervision and care during the day,” said Friedman.

The old campus was home to more than 3,500 veterans during four decades of operation; but by modern nursing home standards it was inefficiently designed.  All meals had to be prepared, trucked to the residential buildings and be reheated before they could be served.  There was no central meeting place to hold social events and programs for the residents.  The old campus’ layout with small-sized units also required a highly inefficient use of nursing staff.

U.S. Veterans Administration and the State of New Jersey jointly funded the $46 million construction project, which began in 1997.  New Jersey’s one-third share of this construction was less than the cost to update the old campus to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements for handicapped access.

"Making the decision that a loved one requires nursing home care can be difficult and painful for family members," said Michael L. Warner, Deputy Commissioner for Veteran Affairs, DMAVA.  "Selecting the right home can be just as difficult -- proximity, quality of care and affordability are just some of the concerns a family must address.  Fortunately, for the families of New Jersey veterans, affordable, quality care is available in our facilities."

The New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes located in Paramus, Menlo Park and Vineland serve about one thousand veterans who require long-term nursing home type care.  The Veterans Memorial Homes offer around-the-clock medical and nursing care, rehabilitative and recreational services, altimeters units, special dietary service, and other amenities.  All three facilities are located near major roadways.

Nadasky Kopelson Architects, the architects of the new facility in Menlo Park are currently working on architectural and engineering plans to redesign and consolidate the veterans nursing home in Vineland.  The Vineland campus recently celebrated a century of service to veterans in New Jersey and is the oldest veteran home still in operation in the country.

For more information on New Jersey's Veterans Memorial Homes or for an application call 609-530-6766.