VA Aid and Attendance Pension Benefit for Senior Veterans
Veterans are an incredibly proud group of people. These are individuals who gave up certain aspects of their life to serve the country. Whether they served in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, National Guard, or even the Coast Guard, these people often obtain an incredible amount of discipline and have difficulty asking for help when it is needed.
For aging veterans, home care may be a topic that needs to be did discussed at some point in time. For family members of these veterans, it can be difficult trying to determine whether or not their elderly loved one may benefit from home care. Here are three signs that the veteran in your life may just benefit by relying on a home care aide.
Sign #1: He has slipped and fallen at least twice.
Once could be a simple accident. Twice is a pattern. Even if your father is brushing off your concerns and stating he is fine, that second fall should indicate he is having difficulty getting around and maintaining his balance. A home care aide could provide assistance getting out of bed, getting up and down stairs, and even doing a number of basic tasks around the house.
Sign #2: His refrigerator is barren.
If you stopped by recently to visit with your aging veteran father, looked in the refrigerator, and saw nothing but a few scattered leftovers that might have been there since World War II, it could be the result of him not getting to the store, not being comfortable driving, no longer having a driver’s license and not asking for rides, or something else.
It’s a clear sign that he needs some type of assistance to not only get to the store to go shopping, but also to eat healthy.
Sign #3: His hygiene is poor.
Your father likely took good care of himself and maintained positive hygiene. However, lately you’ve noticed him wearing the same clothes day after day after day, his hair doesn’t look as though he washed it in a week or more, and you’re concerned.
You should be. He may be uncomfortable doing laundry because it is in the basement of his house. He may feel unsteady getting into and out of the shower. This is a great reason to sit down and talk to him about the benefits of home care.
If he’s concerned about the cost and is on a fixed, limited budget, he could qualify for the Aid and Attendance Benefit made available through the VA if he served during an active time of combat, such as World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam Conflict, if he served at least 90 days of active duty, and was honorably discharged. He should contact his local VA representative to find out how to begin the application process.
