Currently, your mother may require some type of support at home, and since she’s been widowed for more than a few years, it seems as though there’s nobody around to help. You don’t live close enough to help her with some of these things, so what can you do? If your father was a veteran, and if he was considered a wartime veteran, there may be a pension available through the VA that could help.
This pension is known as the Aid and Attendance Benefit.
This pension was developed following World War I as way to help soldiers injured in battle get the support and care they needed at home. It expanded through the years to provide financial support to veterans of all ages, whether they were injured or disabled during their time of service or not.
Some of those expansions also provided some (even if it is just limited) financial assistance for widows of qualifying veterans.
This is where your mother could get support.
Your mother is currently living on a limited pension. It might be barely enough to cover her basic living expenses. A lot of seniors and veterans are already dealing with this type of situation. The challenges can be overwhelming and when mobility is limited, a health issue has arisen due to a medical emergency or some other situation, the moment can feel almost hopeless. That’s exacerbated, too, if they know home care would be a great option, if they could only afford it.
Your mother should be encouraged to apply for this pension.
If your father served at least 90 days in one of the major branches of the United States military, with at least one day of service overlapping World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, or the Gulf War, he might have qualified for this pension, and your mother might as well. If your father served any time during the Gulf War, his minimum time service needs to have been two years.
Your mother would need to show that home care is necessary right now.
A doctor’s recommendation can go a long way at helping prove home care is necessary, but there are other ways veterans and their widows or spouses can prove this is essential right now.
It may feel to your mother like she’s alone, but if she can get financial assistance, a home care aide can be one of the best assets at helping her stay where she’s comfortable … at home.
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.
