Your mother has been looking after your father for some time. They have been married for more than 55 years and she sees this as her responsibility and a privilege. While she struggles to take care of him, you worry about how to help your elderly mom.
Your father is a veteran of the United States military and for most of his life was fiercely independent. You always saw him as a strong, independent man who did everything he could to help his family and friends in their times of need.
How can you help your elderly mom keep going?
Your mother is doing the best she can, but she’s starting to wear out. She is getting tired, and dealing with her own health issues. You wish there was something you could do to help her, but you don’t live close enough or have the time with all your other obligations.
Is financial help available for veterans living at home?
Yes, if your mother and father are on a limited income, if he is considered a wartime veteran, he may qualify for what is called Aid and Attendance. He will also need a physician to verify your father's need for assistance to live safely at home.
What is the Aid and Attendance?
This benefit is from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). It was developed following World War I to help soldiers who had been injured or disabled during battle. It has been expanded through the years to provide financial support to veterans of all ages, regardless of whether they were injured or disabled during their time of service or not.
In order to qualify, a veteran needs to have served a minimum of 90 days active duty in one of the major branches of the United States military with at least one day of service overlapping a time of an official war. This does not mean a veteran had to have fought in a forward combat situation, but their time of service needs to have fallen during World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, or the Gulf War by at least one day. If they served any time during the Gulf War, their minimum time of service needs to be two years.
It’s important to start the application as soon as possible.
You may have seen in the news that the VA has a backlog of claims. It can take many months, including up to a year, for the application to be processed. The sooner the application is filled out and submitted, the sooner your mother or father can begin relying on the help they need right now.
Our VetAssist® Program can help you apply for the VA’s Aid and Attendance benefit and access the home care you need. For more information and to learn about The VetAssist Program, contact Veteran’s Home Care at (888) 314-6075.