Up until a few years ago, even though the VA Aid and Attendance Benefit had been around since post World War I live for veterans, it wasn’t a well known pension. Many veterans weren’t aware that there was a program in place that could provide monetary assistance to pay for home care.
In order to take advantage of certain programs that could help you or someone you know afford home care, it’s necessary to know where you can turn, and who you can call about applying or learning more.
For those veterans who served during a time of war –it doesn’t matter whether you were deployed into combat or not- they might be eligible for the Aid and Attendance pension. This pension program was meant for low income veterans who require some form of home care, either due to injuries sustained during their time of service or after they reach the age of 65.
According to the Los Angeles Times’ article, “Aid and Attendance Program” published on January 26, 2013:
“Eligibility is based on: 1. Service during a period of war 2. Any discharge status other than dishonorable 3. Needing the assistance of another person for one or more activities of daily living.”
It’s important to understand that there are asset and income thresholds that help to determine which veterans are eligible for this pension. The catch is that homes and cars do not count against these assets, which makes this pension a bit different from other benefit programs for veterans.
The Veterans Administration is a massive government agency serving millions of veterans from across the country, but if you were to visit with some helpful resource centers that the VA establishes in different fairs and clinics across the country, few of the representatives would actually know much about it, or that the Aid and Attendance pension even exists, much less what it offers and who it is designed to help.
The process of applying can be long and drawn out, which is a common complaint among aging veterans who require home care. It’s also important to note that hiring an organization or individual to assist with the application process will result in an immediate denial.
Contact Veterans Home Care for assistance in applying for, and to learn more about, the Aid and Attendance pension. It’s a worthy program and learning everything you can about it can make applying for and receiving it that much easier.
For more information and to learn about Home Care for Veterans, contact Veteran’s Home Care at (888) 314-6075.
