Veterans Senior Care
When a veteran needs some type of extra care and support at home, they may lean on family members and friends. That’s certainly the easiest option, but it may not be the best. A home care aide, visiting nurse, physical therapist, occupational therapist, or other professionals may be necessary to not just maintain a high quality of life, but also offer the kind of support and assistance and companionship some people may need.
As people get older, they may be facing a number of challenges in life. Some of those challenges may be related to mobility. When a veteran has some need of home care assistance, they might not be able to pay for it. If they have financial limitations, such as a limited income through a pension, the idea of hiring a home care aide can almost seem laughable.
However, there are two main pensions that are designed through the VA to provide financial assistance to pay for home care support. One is called the Aid and Attendance Benefit and the other is the Homebound pension.
For the Aid and Attendance Benefit, not every veteran will qualify. There are certain provisions that need to be met, certain qualifications, if you will. Let’s talk about a few them right now.
Time of service.
A veteran needs to have served at least one day of their active duty service during a time of official combat, as defined by Congress. This is essentially World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Gulf War.
Length of service.
If the veteran served any time during World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War, they need to have served at least 90 days’ active duty in one of the major branches of the United States military. If any time of service overlapped the Gulf War, they need to have served at least two years’ active duty.
Financial requirements.
Income and assets are calculated together to provide the basic idea of whether or not a veteran would qualify for this particular pension. Right now, income and assets cannot exceed $119,000. If the veteran does not have significant assets and is limited on their income, whether it’s through a pension or anything else, they may qualify financially for this level of assistance.
The need for home care.
In order to qualify for Aid and Attendance Support, the veteran needs to be able to prove that home care is absolutely necessary right now in his or her life. If they can do that and meet these other requirements, they may get the financial support needed to begin receiving home care services.
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.
