Bruce McCandless Veterans Community Living Center at Florence

08/28/2026

Wise leadership is the lifeblood of any struggle against the three plagues. It is the key to meaningful and lasting change, for it there can be no substitute. Honesty, kindness,integrity, trust, caring, compassion, fairness, professionalism, positive attitude and grace. Barbi, for 30 years you have demonstrated all of these qualities every single day. Happy Retirement, we are sure going to miss you!

08/11/2026

Shout-out to our incredible staff! This day is in celebration of all the heroic work you did for our residents during July's Aspen Acres wildfire.

Aug. 11, 2026, is now officially Bruce McCandless Veterans Community Living Center at Florence Day in Fremont County, Colorado! The Fremont County Board of Commissioners presented the proclamation to CDHS Executive Director Michelle Barnes and leaders from the Bruce McCandless Veterans Community Living Center at Florence, honoring the staff's successful move of residents during July's Aspen Acres wildfire.

08/05/2026

We are looking for a barber/beautician to join our team! Please contact Autumn Yslas or Kaylee Todd for more information.

07/28/2026

𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭, 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐜𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐥

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐜𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐕𝐂𝐋𝐂? Ten Years.

𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞? Many, many years ago, I worked in a nursing home. I enjoyed taking care of the residents. Later, I heard about McCandless and decided I wanted to work at the Veterans Living Center. I am so happy for the choice I made!

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐣𝐨𝐛? It is so rewarding being a part of such a great place. Staff are wonderful, residents are a joy to be around and the families are fantastic!

𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞? 𝐈𝐟 𝐬𝐨, 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬? My Dad was born in Puerto Rico, left there at a young age, and joined the Army. The love I had for my father is now extended to the residents here at McCandless.

𝐓𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐛𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐬. I love motorcycle riding, camping and fishing.

06/30/2026

Three of our residents got the honor to participate in the Dream Flight today in Colorado Springs. The residents took flight in a WWII Stearman Biplane named "The Spirit of the Pacific". A big thank you to our friends at CHCA for helping to make this happen!

06/19/2026

Congratulations, Gareld!

06/17/2026

After a successful rehabilitation stay at the Bruce McCandless State Veterans Community Living Center, Ray Maestas is finally headed home, marking the end of a challenging recovery journey and the beginning of a new chapter. Ray is excited about going home and being with his family. Ray is very thankful to all the staff for the wonderful care that he received during his time at the Bruce McCandless Colorado State Veterans Community Living Center. 

05/25/2026

Today is about something deeply important. It's about honoring the lives of our veterans and widows of veterans from our home who have passed away this past year. Each veteran wore the uniform of our Nation. Each of them made a commitment to serve something greater than themselves and each of them leaves behind a legacy that deserves to be remembered.
Today, we stand together-not just in remembrance, but in gratitude. Gratitude for service, gratitude for sacrifice and gratitude for the lives that helped shape the freedoms we hold dear.
Happy Memorial Day!

05/19/2026

Are you passionate about making a difference and creating meaningful moments for others? We are looking for an energetic, compassionate and dependable individual to join our Activities Department!
This rewarding opportunity allows you to work directly with our veterans by creating engaging activities, special events, and meaningful experiences that bring joy, connection and purpose to each day.
Apply today and become part of a team dedicated to honoring and serving those who served our country!
https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/colorado/jobs/5343378/therapy-assistant-i-bruce-mccandless-veterans-community-living-center?keywords=bruce&pagetype=jobOpportunitiesJobs

05/18/2026

𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐀𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫, 𝐊𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐜𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐕𝐂𝐋𝐂? I’ve been here at the Bruce McCandless Veterans Community Living Center for 20 years.
𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞? I worked for the Colorado Department of Corrections for 20 years before I decided it was time for a change in careers. It was the best decision I’ve ever made.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐣𝐨𝐛? I’m a people person! I enjoy talking, giving tours to people that are interested in our home. It warms my heart at each admission that the families trust us to take care of their loved ones. Working at Bruce McCandless CLC has been so rewarding in so many ways. Giving back to our veterans is the number one reason why I love working here. They sacrificed for our freedom; now it’s my turn to give back.
𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞? My father was a proud Marine, and I was raised to give honor and respect to all branches of service. My family is very proud of the fact that my seventh great grandfather was the First Commandant of the Marine Corp. I respect all branches of service, but my first love is the Marine Corp. Every time I hear the Marine Corp theme song, I get choked up.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐛𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐬? I love to garden, taking care of vegetables and my English Garden is very rewarding for my soul! I’m in a book club and I’m enjoying reading all the different genres of books. I’m on the Board of Directors at the Museum of Colorado Prisons. I enjoy preserving history and hearing all the stories from the past.