[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 74 (Tuesday, June 14, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 14, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
               VA MEDICAL CENTER IN DANVILLE, IL HONORED

                      HON. G.V. (SONNY) MONTGOMERY

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 14, 1994

  Mr. MONTGOMERY. Mr. Speaker, on a number of occasions I have 
acknowledged the outstanding service rendered to veterans by doctors, 
nurses and other health providers at our VA medical centers. I believe 
the staff at VA medical centers are among the best anywhere.
  I recently received a letter from the Honorable Harry N. Walters, who 
headed the Veterans Administration for a number of years, telling me 
about the excellent care his father-in-law received at the VA Medical 
Center in Danville, IL, prior to his death on March 11, 1994, at the 
age of 86.
  The staff at Danville care about their patients and I am grateful 
that the former Administrator has acknowledged their good work. I would 
like to share with my colleagues the following communication Mr. 
Walters sent to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, on April 26, 1994:


                                             Williamsburg, VA,

                                                   April 26, 1994.
     Hon. Jesse Brown,
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC.
       Dear Secretary Brown: My father-in-law, George V. 
     Bernshausen, was a patient in the DVA Hospital at Danville, 
     Illinois, from May 1992 to March 1994. He died in the 
     hospital on March 11, 1994, at the age of 86. He was a WWII, 
     non-service connected, Category A veteran and had suffered a 
     broken hip, numerous strokes and several heart attacks.
       He was a proud man who retired at age 62 as a lifelong 
     automobile mechanic in Pekin, Illinois. His wife of 49 years, 
     Helen Bernshausen, age 81, was unable to care for him at home 
     because of her own poor health conditions. George had been 
     treated at the DVA outpatient clinic in Peoria, Illinois, for 
     a number of years preceding his first major stroke.
       On behalf of his wife and daughter, I am writing to extol 
     the care he received from the outpatient clinic and at the 
     Danville Hospital and to express the gratitude of our entire 
     family. In particular, I would like to commend Dr. Lewis 
     Winters, Dr. S. Jong, head nurse, Ward 98, Josephine 
     Thompson, head nurse, Ward 5, Linda Kelsey, and Social 
     Services Director, Peter Durry. The entire staff was 
     responsive, caring and helpful during his illness. He died in 
     his sleep with dignity among friends, family and a superb 
     medical staff.
       His association with fellow veterans in the hospital also 
     gave him great comfort.
       Please feel free to distribute this letter to the DVA 
     outpatient clinic in Peoria and to the DVA Hospital in 
     Danville. They all were remarkably professional.
       I am compelled, however, to add that ironically on the day 
     he died, March 11, 1994, the long term care ward to which he 
     was assigned, was closed permanently and combined with two 
     other wards where supposedly veterans with much different 
     illnesses will be treated in the same ward. Some VA hospital 
     personnel expressed genuine concern about the future of long 
     term care at Danville and some even expressed concern about 
     the future of the entire complex. I do not know whether or 
     not their concerns will become reality but their concerns 
     remind me of our obligations to aging veterans. The 
     demographics of the aging population are overwhelming 
     evidence of the need for more support not less support for 
     the aging veteran. Accessibility, adequate budgets and 
     efficiencies will all be needed. We don't hear very much 
     about the aging veteran, but as my family can personally 
     attest, the Danville hospital does a better job caring for 
     them than anywhere else in Illinois. I hope my affidavit and 
     that of our family can be helpful to you as you pursue what I 
     know to be challenging work.
       America is No. 1 thanks to our veterans.
           Most Sincerely,
     Harry N. Walters.

                          ____________________