My father served during the Korean War and being in his 80s, he has seen a lot throughout his years. He has also done a lot for the people who are important to them. For most of his life, he has been a healthy, strong man who wouldn’t have accepted help, even if he thought that he might need it. I am not sure why this is, but I have a suspicion that it is rooted in pride.
Now that my father is well into his 80s, the years are catching up to him. It was tough when we lost my mother because I didn’t know how my father would be in the years afterward, but following a period of mourning, he has managed to get back out and into life and enjoyed spending more time with his grandchildren. Now I have noticed that he seems to be having more problems with his health and getting around his home and even though he refuses to ask for help, I’m wondering if veterans home care might benefit him.
My father is on a fixed income from a pension. He worked for more than 50 years for the same company but he didn’t get a lot, just enough to afford to live. Now I’m worried about him because I don’t have the money to hire someone, so the only real option, at least financially speaking, is the VA Aid and Attendance Benefit that I heard about.
I was more worried about how my father would take the entire idea about relying on a professional in-home care provider, but when I did broach the subject with him, he seemed to consider it, which is more than I expected from him. The question then came down to whether he would qualify for it. From everything that I had learned through the VA’s official government website, having served in the Korean War, and having served for well more than 90 days in active duty, I believed that he might qualify.
My question then revolves around whether it’s the right thing to do. My father has long advocated about only relying on the VA’s limited resources when absolutely necessary. I think it is, he’s not so sure, but in the end, I believe that he recognizes that he’s not as strong as he used to be and he could really use veterans home care.
For more information and to learn if you or a loved one qualifies for the Veterans Aid and Attendance Pension Benefit, contact Veteran’s Home Care at (888) 314-6075.
