Older vets: Boston VA needs your help

The Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare System in Boston is working to educate its health-care workers about the unique needs of older veterans and how to meet them. To that end, a survey is being conducted of combat-experienced and women veterans age 55 and older, targeting those involved in the Vietnam and Korean wars as well as World War II.

Anica Pless Kaiser, coordinator of Boston VA’s SHARP, is asking older combat veterans and former WACS, WAVES, WASPS, SPARS and women Marines to participate in a 20-minute telephone interview and fill out written questionnaires by mail. She and her colleagues are seeking information about older veterans’ military and civilian life experiences, retirement concerns, health and well-being, support received from friends and loved ones, and everyday happenings. Kaiser says the written portion of the survey should take between an hour and 90 minutes to complete. All responses will remain confidential and used only for her project’s research. 

Participants will be paid $20 for their time.  Kaiser said about 150 older veterans have joined the study so far.

To volunteer for the SHARP survey of older combat and women veterans, please call Kaiser at (800) 865-3384, ext. 45309.