PORTLAND, Ore.–The VA Portland Health Care System’s Fisher House recently renovated the flooring throughout the building to increase safety and accessibility. The flooring upgrade was made possible by a grant provided by the JTMF Foundation.
The VA Portland’s Fisher House is located at their Vancouver campus in SW Washington, 1601 E Fourth Plain Blvd.
Opened for guests on March 23, 2016, the VA Portland’s Fisher House flooring included bedrooms with wall-to-wall carpet, and some spaces which employed hard flooring and comfortable area rugs. The replacement offered an opportunity to enhance safety and accessibility leading to a decision to install non-slip vinyl plank flooring.
Michelle Horn, Vice President of Communications for The Fisher House Foundation, said since the VA Portland Fisher House was first opened, the standard design has shifted toward a focus on wheelchair access and non-slip flooring, based on feedback from Veterans and their family members who stay at the various locations throughout the country. With the floor in the VA Portland’s Fisher House approaching 10 years old, it was time to do the upgrade, Horn added.
“Since we shifted the bedrooms from wall-to-wall carpet to hard flooring, we have received positive feedback from Fisher House staff and guests,” said Horn.
The VA Portland Fisher House is part of an ever-expanding network of 100 VA Fisher House locations throughout various military installations and VA medical centers across the nation.
According to their website, the JTMF Foundation’s goal is to be flexible and search for the best opportunities to help people with their immediate needs. The foundation partners with organizations to help address the physical and mental well-being of retired military as they cope with their experiences.
“We are grateful to the generous donors that made this project possible,” Horn added.
Overall, the Fisher House program has saved military and Veterans’ families an estimated $610 million in out-of-pocket costs for lodging and transportation, according to Veterans Administration statistics.
To find out more about the history of the Fisher House, visit https://www.fisherhouse.org/about/our-history/.