For veterans, home care can become an important aspect in the quality of life, especially when they reach more advancing years. At the moment, there are a number of programs through the VA (Veterans Administration) that are designed to provide assistance and care to wounded veterans and those who served and are having trouble managing their own basic care at home.
For those veterans who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and even others who may simply be struggling with their care or certain illnesses, in order to have their applications for assistance approved, they may have felt as though they need to jump through hoops, or to return to basic training.
Now, new regulations have been approved by the VA that will make it easier for these veterans to receive the proper level of home care that they need and that they deserve. It will make it easier for these veterans to get the proper health care as well as monetary compensation to pay for the optimal level of care at home and will assist those veterans who have “certain illnesses, including Parkinsonism, dementia, and depression, which have been linked to traumatic brain injury,” according to the article “New Rule Could Aid Veterans’ Access to Health Care for Some Traumatic Injuries” by Ashley Southall in the New York Times.
It is important to note, however, that while this new rule went into effect on January 16, 2014, it applies to traumatic brain injuries that veterans have experienced. The brain injuries that these veterans sustained are from various causes and not all are related to the effects of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In fact, less than one quarter of the traumatic brain injuries that veterans have sustained since 2000 (approximately 287,000), were related to the war effort.
In order for these veterans to receive the proper benefits that will provide ideal home care for them, they will need to demonstrate through medical evidence that they have sustained an injury of that the condition is a direct result of their service in the military. In other words, if the injury was the result of something that occurred after or outside of military service, then this rule won’t help them receive the proper benefits to pay for care.
If you have a veteran loved one who is over the age of 65, though, and who may require home care, the VA Aid and Attendance Benefit may be able to provide financial assistance so that they can get the care they need at home.
For more information and to learn about Veterans Care, contact Veteran’s Home Care at (888) 314-6075.
