Who Can Get Help from the Veterans Home Care Program?

If you’re a senior who served in the armed forces, you might be eligible for a special program called Veterans’ home care. This program offers assistance with daily activities to help you stay comfortable at home as you age. To qualify, veterans and their spouses must meet specific requirements.

As we get older, we might need some help with everyday tasks. Many seniors, including veterans, prefer to stay in their own homes rather than move to a nursing home or assisted living facility. The veterans’ home care program aims to support them in achieving this wish.

What Are the Types of Home Care?

Licensed and trained, home health assistance professionals fulfill various responsibilities, encompassing both homemaking tasks and skilled services to ensure the well-being of the veterans under their care.

• These dedicated caregivers provide personal care services so help veterans for activities of daily living (ADLs). This includes tasks such as bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, and eating.
• They provide support with household chores and tasks, helping to maintain a clean and safe living environment for fall prevention. This may involve tasks like meal preparation, cleaning, laundry, and grocery shopping.
• Companion caregivers offer social support and companionship to veterans who may feel isolated or lonely. They engage in conversation, accompany clients to appointments or social events, and may participate in hobbies or activities together.
• Respite care for veterans offers temporary relief to primary caregivers, allowing them to take a break while another caregiver looks after their loved one.

In certain cases, additional home health professionals may be necessary to support veterans with ongoing healthcare needs. For instance, speech therapists aid veterans in stroke recovery, while home health caregivers and physical therapists play crucial roles, especially after surgical procedures, as integral members of the veteran’s healthcare team.

How Can Veterans Pay for Home Care?

Paying for home care can be challenging, but there’s a little-known VA benefit that can help. It’s called the Aid and Attendance benefit, and it provides a monthly payment to qualifying veterans to help with in-home care expenses. To be eligible for this benefit, veterans must meet certain age, disability, income, and net worth requirements.

Unfortunately, many are unaware of the VA Aid and Attendance benefit, which is available to eligible veterans, providing financial assistance to offset the expenses of veteran home care.

Through the VA Aid and Attendance benefit, qualifying veterans receive a monthly payment to support their in-home care requirements. To be eligible for this allowance, specific criteria related to age, disability, income, and net worth must be met.

Who Qualifies for VA Home Health Care Benefits?

If you served in the military, naval, or air service, you might be eligible for VA healthcare benefits if you meet certain requirements:

1. You should not have received a dishonorable discharge.
2. If you enlisted after September 7, 1980 (or entered active duty after October 16, 1981), you must have served for 24 continuous months, or the full period you were called to active duty.
3. If you didn’t meet the minimum duty requirement mentioned above, you might still be eligible for VA benefits if any of these are true:
   • You were discharged due to a disability caused or worsened by your active-duty service.
   • You were discharged because of a hardship.
   • You served before September 7, 1980.
4. For current or former members of the Reserves or National Guard to be eligible for VA benefits, they must have been called to active duty by a federal order and completed the full period they were called for. If they were called to active duty only for training purposes, they do not qualify for VA health care.
5. Veterans must also have a documented need for help with some daily activities, like getting dressed, taking medications, bathing, visiting the doctor, and preparing meals.

To inquire about your eligibility or get more information, contact the VA.

Did You Know that Assisting Hands is an Approved Provider for the VA?

The VA Aid and Attendance program supports aging veterans, and they can use the financial help they receive to pay for veteran home care services from Assisting Hands Home Care. Our team of licensed caregivers is dedicated to meeting the daily non-medical needs of veterans who receive our care.

Our elder care services are designed to benefit veterans greatly. Whether they need full-time or part-time caregiving, we are here to assist with personal care tasks, prepare meals, and provide transportation. Additionally, we offer various types of care, such as respite care, 24/7 home care, post-operative care, and memory care, ensuring that veterans receive the comprehensive care they deserve.

Call Assisting Hands today at (214) 571-7059 to access the VA-approved home care you deserve. Let us honor your service by taking care of you in the comfort of your own home.