Seniors who have served in the armed forces are eligible for a useful benefit known as the veterans’ home care program. Elderly veterans receive assistance with the activities of daily living, which allows them to age in the comfort of home. Eligible veterans and spouses must meet certain criteria.

As veterans grow older, like other seniors, they will require some level of assistance with daily activities. The majority of the elderly, including veterans, prefer to age in place rather than enter a nursing home or assisted living facility. Veteran home care helps them fulfill these wishes.

What does homemaking services include?

Veteran home care may be divided into two distinct categories: 1)Homemaking and 2)Home health assistance. Homemaking services focus on basic caregiving duties that do not require extensive training or specialized expertise. Homemaking services are often less expensive, as a result.

Homemaking services involve basic, non-medical support, such as assistance with personal hygiene tasks. Along with help with grooming, bathing and dressing, a homemaking professional will do laundry, prepare meals, perform light household chores and run errands. The professional serves as a companion and can help with pet or plant care.

What does home health assistance include?

Home health assistance professionals are licensed and have received training to do their job. These professionals engage in all the duties of a homemaking professional, but also perform a wide range of skilled services to ensure the well-being of the veterans in their care.

The home health assistance caregiver will monitor the veteran’s mood, level of hydration, meals and exercise regimens. A veteran who needs help with mobility will be accommodated. These professionals also facilitate communications between the veterans, their families and healthcare providers.

Additional home health professionals may be necessary to help the veteran with ongoing healthcare needs. Speech therapists help veterans recover from a stroke. Especially after a surgery, home health nurses and physical therapists will be useful and become part of the veteran’s healthcare team.

Home care is a clear benefit to aging veterans. Paying for home care, however, can be a challenge. A little-known VA benefit, however, is available to help eligible veterans offset the financial costs of veteran home care with either a homemaking service or a home health assistance professional.

The VA Aid and Attendance benefit provides a monthly payment to qualifying veterans to help pay for in-home care. Certain age, disability, income and net worth requirements must be met in order to be eligible to receive the VAs monthly allowance.

What are the eligibility criteria for VA pension benefits?

Veterans may qualify for the VA Aid and Attendance benefit upon serving in active duty for at least 90 days with one day during wartime. Limits on yearly income and net worth (including the net worth of a spouse) are set by Congress.

The VA outlines recent wars in which a veteran may have served, which subsequently serves as one qualifying aspect for receiving VA benefits. Wartime periods include the Mexican Border period, World War I, World War II, Korean conflict, Vietnam War era and the Gulf War.

Qualifying veterans must also have a documented need for help with some, but not all, of the activities of daily living. Examples of the activities of daily living include getting dressed, taking medications, bathing, visiting doctor’s offices and preparing balanced meals.

A veteran who meets all the criteria is eligible to receive financial assistance from the VA via the Aid and Attendance benefit. The VAs monthly payments equal $1794 per veteran and $2127 for the married couple. The surviving spouse of a veteran may receive $1153 per month.

How much does veteran home care cost?

On average, national veteran home care costs $125 per day for fulltime homemaker services. Forty-four hours of work per week total $3805 per month or $45,760 per year. Costs for home health aides average slightly higher, at $127 per day, which is $3861 a month or $46,332 per year.

Without question, the VAs pension substantially alleviates a significant portion of the financial burden of veteran home care. Keep in mind that not all veterans will require fulltime care. Professional care services are flexible, with respite care, post-operative care and part-time care being available.

Veterans who reside with a family or a spouse may see a lesser need for fulltime home care. In these cases, family caregivers significantly benefit from respite care. Avoiding caregiver burnout is the primary reason family caregivers should strongly consider utilizing periodic respite care.

Veterans who require minimal in-home assistance may qualify for the VA home health aide program, where 12 hours per week of home care are provided. Additional eligibility criteria include having a significant cognitive impairment and requiring help with three or more activities of daily living.

A VA respite care program is useful for veterans who require temporary home care. In order to qualify, veterans must undergo an interdisciplinary assessment, have significant cognitive impairment or need help with at least three of the activities of daily living.

Aging veterans who receive benefits through the VA Aid and Attendance program can use their financial payouts to pay for veteran home care from Assisting Hands Home Care. Our services are provided by a staff of licensed caregivers who meet the daily, nonmedical needs of veteran home care recipients.

Veterans benefit from the comprehensive elder care services provided by our home care teams. Fulltime or part-time caregiving responsibilities include help with personal care activities, meal preparation and transportation. We also offer respite care, 24/7 home care, post-operative care and hospice care.

Assisting Hands Home Care partners with the Care Planning Institute to help eligible veterans receive VA pension benefits. The VA pension application process is tedious and time consuming. Experienced professionals from our home care team, however, can help veterans navigate the application process.

Veterans living in the communities of Dallas, Richardson and Park Cities, Texas, are encouraged to consult Assisting Hands Home Care for our compassionate veteran home care services. Our professional caregivers treat each veteran with dignity, so that they continue to lead fulfilling lives. Call us at (214) 865-7870 to schedule your free consultation today.

Sources:https://www.veteranaid.org/in-home-care.php,https://www.va.gov/pension/eligibility/