Could You Be Eligible for Home Care Assistance through the VA?
One of the primary life goals for most older adults is to continue living at home. According to the AARP, over 85% of adults age 65 and older wish to remain in place and not be moved to a nursing home, VA community living center, or any other type of facility.
Fortunately for veterans needing help with daily activities or are housebound, support is available that can keep them at home. The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and it’s called the VA Aid and Attendance (A&A) Benefit.
Eligibility for VA Aid and Attendance Benefits
To be eligible for A&A benefits, veterans must be receiving a VA pension and meet at least one of these requirements:
You need another person to help you perform activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, toileting, eating, etc.
Or
You have to remain in bed or spend the majority of the day in bed, because of illness
Or
You are a patient in a nursing home caused by the loss of physical or mental abilities related to a disability
Or
Your eyesight is limited (5/200 or worse in both eyes)
If you qualify for A&A benefits, you can receive in-home care.
What Does In-Home Care Include?
There are two types of in-home care: homemaking and home health assistance.
Homemaking services are priced lower than home health aide services and focus on personal care duties like bathing, dressing, meal preparation, housekeeping, laundry, and running errands.
Home Health Assistance is provided by home health aides, who may have a license or certification (depending on the state you live in). Aides will provide homemaking services like those described above and include monitoring the client’s health, providing medication management, and facilitating communication among the patient, family, and healthcare providers.
Both types of care providers can be hired part-time, full-time, or for in-home respite care, which allows family caregivers to take a break and avoid caregiver burnout. In-home respite care keeps the client at home and prevents a family from having to move their loved one to an assisted living facility.
How to Apply and Receive Benefits
The A&A application can take several months to be processed; benefits funds will not be paid during the processing period. However, once approved, the veteran (or surviving spouse) will receive benefit payments retroactive to the original application date (paid in a lump sum, then monthly payments after that).
Instructions on how to apply for Aid and Attendance can be found here.
New Wave Home Care of Pasadena, CA, is now accredited by the VA and is here for veterans and their families. We’re happy to visit with you about the in-home care you or your loved one deserve for serving our country. Contact us today to learn more.
