Home Care for Veterans Over 65

If you have a mother or father who served in the military, it’s likely you already know how proud veterans are. This can create problems because some veterans are reluctant to accept help. But being a veteran or the surviving spouse of a veteran also offers advantages. Caregivers of veterans over 65 should definitely research VA benefits as they devise a system of care for their loved one.  

Aid and Attendance

Caregiver Osakis, MN: Home Care for Veterans

The Aid And Attendance benefit will pay some or all of the costs of home care for both veterans and the surviving spouses of veterans. Eligibility requirements are: 

• Must already receive a VA pension. Even if your senior has too high an income to receive a pension, it is worth researching this option because the income limit for a pension is higher for disabled, visually impaired, or housebound veterans.  
• Needs daily assistance with feeding, dressing, and/or taking baths OR spends most or all of his/her time at home because of a permanent disability.  

• A doctor who will attest to one or the other of the above conditions. 

Veterans with visual impairments, whether they are otherwise disabled or not, are also eligible for Aid and Attendance. If the veteran’s sight field has contracted to five degrees or less, he or she is eligible. If, with the use of glasses or contact lenses, he or she has vision of 5/200 or less in both eyes, that veteran is also eligible.  

Housebound benefits 

Housebound veterans are eligible for a different financial aid program called “housebound benefits,” though it should be noted one cannot receive these benefits and benefits through the Aid and Attendance program simultaneously. Housebound benefits are generally available to veterans whose disability or disabilities leave them one hundred percent disabled.  

Both the housebound benefit and the Aid and Attendance benefit are paid as an increase on the senior veteran’s pension. This allows caregivers and veterans to hire whichever home care agency or individual they prefer.  

The application process 

There is a single application form for both the housebound benefits program and Aid and Attendance. When you send in this form, the Veteran’s Administration determines which program you are most eligible for.   

For veterans who receive a pension, the first step in application consists of filling out VA Form 21-2680 which is available at the va.gov website. Please note that veterans who do not yet receive a pension must apply for that first. 

To be eligible, the veteran or a caregiver may need to write an informal log of the details of the veteran’s day. For example, “She gets up at 8 AM and, with assistance, dresses in jeans and a T-shirt . . . etc.” This log can be attached to the above form upon submission.  

To conclude, veterans have a few options that non-veterans do not when it comes to paying for home care. In general, your veteran will have to be substantially disabled to make use of these benefits. Caregivers of disabled veterans should definitely research the options for providing financial assistance to their beloved seniors. 

If you or an aging loved-one are considering a Caregiver in Osakis, MN please contact the caring staff at Alternative Senior Care today. Providing Home Care in Central Minnesota and Surrounding Communities. Call us Today (320) 352-3350

Sources 

https://www.va.gov/pension/aid-attendance-housebound/ 

https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/financial-legal/info-2017/veterans-affairs-support-ag.html 

https://benefits.va.gov/BENEFITS/factsheets/limitedincome/EnhancedorSpecialPension.pdf