At Assisting Hands Home Care, we can help senior citizens who are veterans of the armed forces in Dallas, Richardson, Park Cities TX and the surrounding areas with our Veteran home care services. Those who are eligible for the Veterans Affairs (VA) pension with Aid and Attendance Benefit can use these benefits to help pay for home care.
Many senior citizens in the U.S. have served in the U.S. armed forces and may be eligible for VA benefits that can help pay for home care. As the current generation of seniors reach a point where they need care and assistance in their daily lives, more are choosing to receive care at home instead of going to a nursing home or assisted living facility. Seniors who are eligible for VA benefits can use these benefits towards the cost of home care and respite care from Assisting Hands.
At Assisting Hands Home Care, we provide VA home health care and respite care services in Dallas, Richardson, University Park, Highland Park, Texas for veterans of the armed forces who are eligible for VA pension benefits. Eligible veterans will receive home care from our licensed, professional caregivers and put their VA benefits towards the cost of care.
VA Pension with Aid and Attendance Benefit
Veterans and spouses of veterans can be eligible for the VA pension with Aid and Attendance benefit from the Department of VA which provides up to $2,200 per month. With these benefits, those who are eligible can pay for part-time home care. However, with millions of seniors who are veterans or spouses of veterans eligible for these benefits, only half a million seniors are receiving the benefits.
Challenges to Getting VA Benefits
There are a couple of reasons why most seniors who are eligible for these benefits are not receiving them. One reason is that many seniors are unaware of these benefits and how they can help pay for home care. The other main reason is that applying for the benefits at a Veterans Service Organization (VSO) office is a hassle. There are often long lines and multiple trips are required to obtain benefits. Many seniors are told that they don’t qualify for the benefits or that they may only receive a partial benefit.
At Assisting Hands Home Care, we work with Care Planning Institute (CPI) to help veterans and surviving spouses obtain their VA Pension with Aid and Attendance Benefit. The accredited VA benefits agents of CPI work independently of the VA on behalf of veterans and their spouses to get the benefits senior veterans are entitled to without them having to leave their homes.
Requirements for VA Pension with Aid and Attendance Benefits
To qualify for the VA pension with Aid and Attendance Benefits, senior veterans and their spouses must meet the following:
- Veteran served during wartime
- Spouse is widow of wartime veteran
- Served at least 90 days of active duty including at least one day during wartime
- Honorable discharge
- Age 65 or older
- Need help with activities of daily living (ADLs)
- Has $123,600 or less in assets (home, vehicles, and personal property don’t count)
- Must have a monthly income of no more than $3,000 for a couple, $2,600 for a single veteran, and $2,000 for a surviving spouse
Once eligible seniors receive their benefits, the VA may audit them to ensure that they still meet the requirements necessary to get the benefits. Seniors will have to provide the proper documentation to show that they still meet eligibility requirements, or they could lose them. The VA benefits agents of CPI will work with veterans and their spouses to ensure that they continue to meet the requirements and have the documentation to prove it.
VA Home Health Care and Respite Care
Veterans who are eligible for VA Pension with Aid and Attendance Benefits can put their benefits towards the cost of the following VA home care programs:
1. VA Home Health Aide (HHA)/ Home Health Program
With our VA Home Health Aide program, veterans can get up to 12 hours per week of home health care. Veterans who receive VA benefits must undergo an interdisciplinary assessment for geriatric extended care (GEC) and also have a dependency for 3 or more ADLs or significant cognitive impairment.
2. VA Respite Care Program
For veterans who need temporary home care, VA pension benefits can be used towards our VA respite care program. For this program, veterans and their spouses must undergo an interdisciplinary assessment and either have a dependency with 3 or more ADLs or significant cognitive impairment.
Call Assisting Hands for VA Home Health Care
If you or a loved one may be eligible for VA pension with Aid and Attendance benefits and needs home care, give us a call at Assisting Hands Home Care. We can work with CPI to help you obtain your benefits and provide home health care that can be covered by these benefits. You can reach us at (214) 865-7870 for a free consultation.
