Veterans are just like anybody else. Aging veterans are just like any other elderly person. They have the same rights, but they may have more rights to certain types of care than other people. Okay, perhaps ‘more rights’ wasn’t the right expression, but more access to financial support systems that can help pay for things like veterans’ home care services.
Too often, though, people get caught up in the regular hustle and bustle of daily life and overlook some very good and powerful support systems for aging veterans. One of those is known as the Aid and Attendance pension benefit.
What is the Aid and Attendance benefit?
This is a pension program made available through the Veterans Administration (VA). It was initially developed following World War I as a way to help soldiers who had been injured or disabled during combat to receive care at home. It has expanded through the years to provide coverage for veterans of all ages, whether they were injured or disabled during active duty service or not.
If a veteran is under 65 years of age, they need to be considered completely disabled to qualify for Aid and Attendance benefits, which are used to pay for in-home care support services. If the veteran is 65 or over, they need to have a documentable requirement for in-home care support, most commonly provided by a doctor’s recommendation.
How can a veteran know if he or she qualifies for Aid and Attendance benefits?
They need to be considered a wartime veteran. This doesn’t mean they served in a forward combat situation, but that their active duty service overlapped a time of official combat the United States was engaged in by at least one day. In other words, if they served at least one day of active duty service during World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam Conflict, or the Gulf War, they are considered wartime veterans.
They also need financial support to pay for in-home care support. If they are financially sound and independent and have plenty of savings and assets, they may not be eligible for this pension. This is designed for those who can’t afford in-home care by themselves.
They also need to be honorably discharged from the United States military. Now, as far as the application process is concerned, the VA does offer reimbursement for in-home care support services provided to the qualifying veteran while the application is being reviewed.
What about the spouse of an aging veteran and veterans’ home care?
Spouses as well as widows can receive some financial support to pay for in-home care through the Aid and Attendance benefit, so long as the qualifying veteran is eligible. In other words, if the veteran passed away, but was considered a wartime veteran, his or her widow may be able to receive financial support to pay for in-home care for them, so long as they can prove a need for these support services.
Veterans have a right to veterans’ home care regardless of their age or financial ability to pay. The Aid and Attendance benefit can help qualifying veterans afford it.
If you or an aging loved one is considering Veterans’ Home Care Services in Columbia MD please get in touch with the caring staff at Vital Sign Home Care today. (410) 814-0258
A Trusted Skilled Medical and Non-Medical senior home care provider in Annapolis, Arnold, Severn, Guilford, Towson, Brooklandville, Catonsville, Cockeysville, Bel Air, Ellicott City, Columbia MD, and surrounding areas.
Venus had a stroke in 2018, she had no movement on the right side of her body and was unable to speak. Venus has made great progress since then and shows up everyday doing her best. She takes pride in overcoming obstacles and never giving up, which has allowed her to obtain a level of success in healthcare.
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