VA Illiana kicks off 125th anniversary

Jan. 31—DANVILLE — Veterans Affairs Illiana Health Care System hosted a 125th Anniversary Celebration kick-off event on Monday, featuring music and cupcakes for veterans and staff.

VA Illiana kicked-off its 125th anniversary celebrations with a resource fair and cupcake hand-out to veterans and staff. The resource fair focused on whole health and spiritual care VA offers. These services allow VA to provide comprehensive care to help America's heroes thrive in life.

Attendees had the opportunity to engage with the resource tables and staff sharing information about services and benefits available to veterans and staff, such as on whole health and chaplain service.

"At VA we pride ourselves on treating the whole Veteran, this means we offer much more than services that address physical needs," said new VA Illiana Acting Executive Director Jon Beidelschies. "The additional focus on whole health and spiritual care make VA's approach to care exceptional and helps veterans get back to the activities that matter to them so they can live plentiful lives."

Whole Health is VA's approach to care that supports veteran's health and well-being. This means the health team will get to know the veteran as a person, before working with them to develop a personalized health plan based on their values, needs and goals. Chaplain Service provides spiritual and pastoral care to veterans.

At VA Illiana, Whole Health and spiritual services are also available to staff. At VA Illiana, employees have the opportunity to participate on Whole Heath activities and initiatives on a daily basis. Whole Health activities range from meditation to cooking demos to tai chi. Through Chaplain Service, staff can receive spiritual support on a regular or one-time basis. VA Chaplains can, upon request and outside of duty hours, provide official religious services such as funerals and weddings. Providing these opportunities to employees promotes a safe and health work environment and it's part of what makes VA Illiana a great place to work, officials say.

"When staff feels supported — whether emotionally, mentally, or spiritually, we ensure levels of burnout remain low and staff is better able to serve our nation's heroes," said Dr. Yoom Hang Kim, VA Whole Health clinical director. "Supporting staff in every way possible, is part of our mission to promote healthy workspaces and become the employer of choice in the communities we serve."

Beidelschies started with VA Illiana in Danville the week after Christmas, taking the place of Staci Williams.

Beidelschies was the associate director for operations at the Hines VA Medical Center in suburban Chicago. He previously lived in Urbana, so he was familiar with and had visited VA Illiana in Danville before.

"I love it here. The people are super kind," he said. "There's a passion and commitment for our veterans that's so impressive. Everybody has been very welcoming to me coming in here and so it's been great so far."

Beidelschies said the Danville VA hospital has been a part of this community for 125 years.

"And we want to be a part of it for decades to come. We are highlighting some of our whole health initiatives, and I think that demonstrates some of the evolution of health care delivery and really looking at the whole person," he added.

Beidelschies said that's one of the things he thinks is incredibly beneficial for veterans receiving care. If a veteran receives care at community providers, they'll focus on specific ailments and specific issues; whereas the VA provides a well-rounded system that includes primary care, mental health care, specialty care, whole health and different areas, he said.

That's really been a focus the last couple of years at VA Illiana, he added.

Dori Camacho Torres, public affairs officer with the VA Illiana Health Care System, also added that whole health services look at what matters to the person with their overall health.

To celebrate VA Illiana's 125 years, Torres said the VA will have monthly events with different themes to highlight services.

In February, a leadership wall will be unveiled in one of the VA's hallways. The theme for March is, "VA Illiana Through the Generations." Staff whose parents or grandparents who also have served at the VA will be highlighted in an exhibit. April will have a baseball theme, though that month's activity is flexible right now on what they are going to, depending on the weather.

Beidelschies said the monthly events will keep the momentum going for the veterans and staff to see all the good work they are doing.

VA Illiana was established in Danville, Ill. in 1898 as The Danville Branch of the Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. Today, VA Illiana provides comprehensive, physical, emotional, mental and spiritual care to more than 29,000 veterans.