For someone who is just brand new at finding information to help their aging veteran, here are some simple questions and answers:
Q: What does VA mean?
- A: It is the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It provides an array of benefits for aging or needy veterans and their families.
Q: What is the VA Aid and Attendance Pension?
- A: It is a pension supplement that will assist a qualified veteran in paying for a caregiver
Q: Who can be considered eligible?
- A veteran
- The dependent of a veteran
- The veteran’s surviving spouse, parent or child of the deceased veteran
Q: What are some of the VA benefits and services?
- A pension received monthly if they are a veteran who served in wartime and have limited income
- Permanently, totally disabled OR the age of 65 and over
- There is not a time limit placed upon applying for compensation or pension benefits.
- Health care services provided include:
- Prosthetic, dental, pharmacy, outpatient medical and hospital services
- Home care services
- Specialized health care required by women Veterans
- Treatments for alcohol abuse or drug dependency
- Financial aid for a veteran or surviving spouse who requires the assistance of another person for
- Eating
- Dressing
- Bathing
- Undressing
- Medication dosing
- For eligible vets receiving in home care or living in an assisted living center
- Based on financial need, some surviving spouses or children of deceased wartime veterans may receive a death pension.
There may be other available benefits not mentioned here. If more information is required, you can contact the Department of Veteran Affairs or visit your nearest VA regional office.
When you are certain your loved Veteran is ready for this assistance, obtain the necessary forms and get the application filled out. It may take months for the final approval to come through. If your Veteran is able to cover the payments for assistance until the pension is available, the payments are retroactive and all funds paid out during the waiting time will be reimbursed.
Until you can obtain the in home care your Veteran is waiting for, try to rally family around you to pitch in and work together to give him the care he needs. This concerted effort will have the effect of not only helping your loved one but also bringing the rest of the family closer together.
For more information on the VA Aid and Attendance Pension Benefit that helps senior veterans pay for in-home care services, or if you have a general question about VA Home Care, please don’t hesitate to call Veterans Home Care at 888-314-6075
