Senior veterans who are considering retirement facilities want a community that lets them get more out of life, not less! At the Armed Forces Retirement Home (AFRH) in Washington, DC, and Gulfport, Mississippi, quality of life and quality care go hand-in-hand. In addition to comfortable rooms and great meals, AFRH residents enjoy state-of-the-art fitness centers, medical and dental services, and lounges with big-screen TVs. Perhaps most importantly, they live among other men and women who share their background of military service.If you’re a veteran thinking of moving into a retirement facility in the next few months or ye ars, consider everything the AFRH has to offer.

Eligibility

As a community reserved for veterans of the military services and to promote the well-being of its residents, the AFRH requires applicants to meet certain eligibility criteria. If you want to apply for residency with your spouse, each of you must meet the criteria individually. Although AFRH facilities offer assisted living and long-term care for residents who need it, applicants must be able to care for themselves independently at the time they are accepted as residents.

If you were a member of the military Services, and at least one-half of your service was not active commissioned service (other than as a warrant officer or limited-duty officer), you are eligible to live in an AFRH community if you also meet one of the following criteria:

• are at least sixty years old and were discharged or released from the military Services under honorable conditions after twenty or more years of active service
• are incapable of earning a living due to a Service-connected disability incurred in the line of duty in the military services
• served in a war theater in a time of war declared by Congress or were eligible for hostile fire special pay or were discharged or released from service in the Armed Forces under honorable conditions; and are determined to be incapable of earning a livelihood because of injuries, disease, or disability
• served in a women's component of the Armed Forces before June 12, 1948; and are eligible for admission due to "compelling personal circumstances"

Applicants must submit a medical exam form completed by a physician, a functional assessment completed by an occupational or physical therapist, and military service documentation to apply for residency. You'll find additional details on eligibility, a request for information form, a new resident application, documentation/forms checklist, and other forms and information at the AFRH website.

Living well at AFRH

No matter what their age, people want to live in an enriching, attractive environment that offers plenty of amenities and activities. Whether your preferred location is Washington, DC, or a home on the water in Gulfport, Mississippi, AFRH "provides an affordable, comfortable, beautiful home for America's heroes." Here's a sample of what you can look forward to as an AFRH resident:

• extensive print, audio and video libraries
• accredited assisted living and long-term health care facilities
• on-campus pharmacy, clinical, and dental services
• gated community with security force
• mail room, financial institutions, and multi-denominational chapels
• full service bar and lounge with large-screen televisions
• state-of-the-art, twenty-four-hour fitness facilities

In addition to these amenities, residents at the Washington, DC facility can enjoy the endless opportunities for fine dining, sightseeing, the theater, museums, and other recreational activities and amusements Washington has to offer. They might take a Potomac dinner cruise past the monuments on Friday night, pick up some fresh fruit or crafts at the Eastern Market on Saturday, and check out an exhibition at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden on Sunday. Sports fans will have plenty to keep them occupied cheering on the Redskins, Nationals, Capitals, and Wizards.

Residents at the Gulfport, Mississippi community will enjoy the AFRH's own brand of southern hospitality. Located on forty-seven acres of waterfront land, the multi-tower Gulfport complex features hobby shops, a barber and beauty shop, movie theater, beach access via a private walkway, and more. Veterans will want to check out the nearby Seabee Memorial Museum, or maybe flirt with Lady Luck at the many beautiful casinos in the area and all the color and excitement of New Orleans is less than an hour away.

Delivering "person-centered care"

In both of its facilities, the AFRH operates on a core philosophy of "person-centered care," which it defines as "The careful manner in which resident needs are considered while developing proactive plans of care and delivering meaningful services." Respecting resident independence and autonomy, AFRH acknowledges that the veterans who live there are adults and individuals who want to make their own decisions and have control over their own lives. AFRH understands the need to listen and respond to its residents accordingly, as individuals with unique needs. AFRH core values include choice, dignity, respect, self-determination, and purposeful living within the support structure of a caring environment.

For the sacrifices they've made in service to their country, our veterans have earned a comfortable, secure, fulfilling retirement. At AFRH facilities, they can enjoy those years in the company of others who have honorably served. If you or someone you know is interested in applying for residency, keep in mind that the waiting list for acceptance is long. Additional information is available at the AFRH website, including details on amenities, frequently asked questions, necessary forms, and more.