Privatizing GR Vets home on hold

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - An Ingham County Circuit Court judge issued a preliminary injunction Oct. 14 blocking privatized workers from starting at the Grand Rapids Home For Veterans.

On Oct. 7, the same judge issued a temporary restraining order, stating at that time the plan would cause irreparable harm to residents residing at the home.

Attorney General Bill Schuette's office told 24 Hour News 8 they will appeal.

The preliminary injunction followed two days of testimony in Lansing, and stops the privatization until the lawsuit over the issue is resolved.

In the first day of testimony on Oct. 12 , an expert said replacing so many nursing assistants will have both physical and mental consequences to the hundreds of people who live in the home.

"You may even consider the nurse aides their families. For some of them, that's as close to family -- or even closer than they are to their own families. They are there for them," said Dr. J.P. Blake Casher at that time.

Attorneys for the veterans' home said then they don't think the overall quality of care will suffer. They also claim the staff changes will save the veterans' home nearly $1 million dollars this year and more than $1.5 million each year after.