Serving Veterans Means Keeping Their Families Close

By Kate Melcher, Executive Director, Fisher House Michigan

After 9/11, I left my job in the U.S. Senate to enlist in the Army. I wanted to serve differently, so I became an Apache helicopter pilot and National Guard Legislative Liaison Officer.

I've seen veteran issues from the policy side in Washington and from the cockpit. Now, leading Fisher House Michigan, I see where support matters most. It's keeping veteran families together when a medical crisis strikes.

Retired Command Sergeant Major Mike Wilson knows this reality firsthand. When his wife needed to stay during his treatment at the VA in Ann Arbor, she faced an impossible choice: rack up hundreds of dollars in hotel bills, or sleep in his hospital room. Without Fisher House, she would have stayed in his room until they made her leave.

Hotel rooms run $200+ nightly. Home-cooked meals become restaurant bills. Caregivers lose wages. Parking fees pile up. These invisible costs routinely total thousands of dollars, creating a financial barrier between veterans and the medical care that gives them the best outcomes.

Studies show that veterans have better health outcomes when they choose the VA. With more uncertainty surrounding Affordable Care Act healthcare plans, more veterans may opt for VA care. Veterans hospitalized in VA facilities have significantly lower 30-day mortality rates for conditions like heart failure and stroke, and lower readmission rates for multiple conditions compared to non-VA hospitals. VA providers understand the unique health challenges from military service—traumatic brain injuries; toxin exposure and service-related cancers; complex prosthetics; and more. They've treated thousands of veterans with similar conditions and know the questions to ask and complications to watch for.

But with only five VA medical centers across Michigan, families often travel hundreds of miles for specialized care. Without affordable lodging, some veterans skip out on the care that could save their lives. Fisher House removes that barrier. These comfort homes make it possible for Veterans to choose VA care by providing free lodging for their loved ones while Veterans are hospitalized.

VA Ann Arbor Fisher House has hosted more than 12,000 guests since it opened in June 2020. That's 12,000 times a family member could accompany their veteran without financial burden.

That presence matters. Family support makes a significant difference in patient outcomes. Those with family nearby recover faster, experience fewer complications, and report better satisfaction with their care. One study found that interventions with caregiver engagement reduced hospital readmissions by 17% compared to those without family involvement. When a spouse, parent, adult child, or trusted friend stays nearby, they become advocates who ask crucial questions in care team meetings, notice subtle changes in condition, and coordinate with specialists.

Michigan’s second Fisher House opened in Detroit this year. With the help of donors statewide, Fisher House Michigan supported the construction of both houses. Today, we continue to provide meals, local transportation, overflow hotel stays, and comfort items in support of the VA as they now operate these Fisher Houses.

When someone you love needs medical care, getting them to the right hospital shouldn't depend on whether you can afford a hotel room. Our veterans earned access to specialized care. Fisher House ensures their families can be there when it matters most.

Read this article in The Detroit News: Click HERE