Vets Home scores consistent 5-star rating

A five-star rating is nothing new for the Montana Veterans Home, according to administrator Joren Underdahl.

The home has received a five star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ever since the federal agency changed to that system, he said.

“It’s always nice to hold on to the rating,” Underdahl said.

Brendan House, in Kalispell, also received the highest possible score in the federal report, which only includes nursing homes certified to participate in Medicare or Medicaid.

The rating is based on health inspections, a staff rating based on numbers of registered nurses per resident and total staffing hours per resident-day, and nine quality measures. The latter is based on quarterly surveys conducted by staff to rate mental and physical health.

The 105-bed Veterans Home undergoes stricter scrutiny than other nursing homes. In addition to its yearly health inspection, the facility is inspected by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Veterans Home began as the Montana Soldiers Home on 147 acres along the Flathead River donated by the Northern International Improvement Co. — the land company that founded Columbia Falls.

The Montana Legislature appropriated money to build The Old Main building in 1895, and local citizens came up with another $3,100 through subscriptions.

Residents and staff supported themselves by farming the site until 1984, when the state decided it was more economical to purchase food than to raise it.

The cemetery was established in 1897, the Chapel building was erected in 1917, and the statue of the World War I “doughboy” was erected in 1928. A 15-bed Alzheimer’s wing opened in 2002.

Funding for the Veterans Home became a political football during the 2011 Montana legislative session. Sen. Dave Lewis, R-Billings, led an effort to cut funding and privatize the workforce.

He argued that the cost per resident at the Columbia Falls facility was significantly higher than the cost at the Eastern Montana Veterans Home, a private facility in Glendive.

Lewis’ effort met strong criticism by residents, veterans and local lawmakers, including then-Sen. Ryan Zinke, R-Whitefish. In the end, House Bill 2 restored funding for the home and a joint resolution for a funding study was tabled.