Veterans in Care Homes: An International Scoping Review to Inform UK Policy and Practice
In contrast to the mental and physical health needs of veterans, veterans’ social care needs remain relatively neglected by policymakers and researchers. The aim of this study is to inform UK veterans policy and practice by drawing together the expectedly limited international research base on veterans in care homes. An international scoping review of peer-reviewed and grey research literature was conducted, informed by Levac et al.’s (2010) six-stage process. Thirty-three papers were found to meet the inclusion/exclusion criteria. The papers’ contents typically fell into one or more of the following themes: social connection, care preferences and autonomy, and military-related physical and mental health needs. Very little (n = 1) UK-situated research was found, with the majority of retrieved papers (n = 24) being US-based, impeding transferability and relevancy of the findings to a UK context. Veterans’ social care needs were found to be a largely underexplored area of research, especially in the UK. There is a pressing need for UK veterans’ policymakers to redress existing imbalances in the focus of policy and research by raising the status and importance of the social care needs of UK veterans, as has been achieved on the mental and physical health fronts.
Abstract: In March 2023, the governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts appointed the first secretary of the Executive Office of Veterans Services (EOVS) to oversee state-level veteran benefits and programs. EOVS replaced the Massachusetts Department of Veterans’ Services and, since its inception, has worked with the governor to improve veteran care and housing. In 2024, the governor signed An Act Honoring, Empowering, and Recognizing Our Servicemembers and Veterans, which seeks to update and expand health and wellness benefits for veterans. To support new initiatives, EOVS partnered with the authors on a comprehensive analysis of the well-being of veterans in Massachusetts. In this analysis, the largest of its kind since 2017, the authors identified unmet veteran needs and evaluated how well EOVS programs are serving veterans. The findings and recommendations presented in this report will provide valuable guidance for EOVS to ensure that its programs are aligned with what Massachusetts veterans need most. The authors also offer a draft strategic framework for EOVS to consider as it works toward strengthening strategic planning efforts in the years ahead.