According to the National Care Planning Council, under the right conditions, 33% of all seniors in this country could qualify for up to $1,843 a month in additional income from the Department of Veterans Affairs. This monthly allowance or income can be used to pay just about anyone to provide elder care services at home. These funds can be used for paying adult children, other relatives, friends, home care companies, or domestic workers to help you continue living at home. Adequate documentation and evidence must be provided in order to receive money from VA for these services, particularly the services provided by family members or other non-professional providers.
If you would like more information on whether you qualify or would like to submit an application (at no charge) let me know, just go to WorkingCaregiver.
The Veterans Pension is not a well known money source when paying for home care. It is available to veterans who served on active duty during a period of war or to the single surviving spouses of these veterans. This pension is also known as the “aid and attendance benefit.” About 35 million Americans age 65 and older in this country, 11.5 million are veterans who served during a period of war or their surviving spouses. This represents about 33% of the senior population.
The VA Pension benefit has an income and an asset test. Veteran households with income or assets above the test levels will not qualify for the benefit. Fortunately, there are special provisions that allow, under certain circumstances, individuals who would normally fail the tests to still qualify. VA typically does not tell potential applicants about the special provisions. A practitioner who understands how to obtain the aid and attendance benefit can help potential applicants receive the benefit even when they have been told by VA that they do not qualify.
The VA Pension income is often used to pay costs of long term care such as home care, assisted living or nursing home care. That’s because the nature of these expenditures allows potential applicants for the aid and attendance benefit to meet the special provisions of the income test.
Over the past 3 1/2 months the National Care Planning Council has received over 750 requests from veterans families all over the country who are trying to find help with their loved ones’ long term care needs. Many of these veterans households would likely qualify for the aid and attendance benefit mentioned above.
Full article Planning for Eldercare. For more help contact WorkingCaregiver - we can help. Or email Carol@workingcaregiver.com
