Common Confusion Regarding the Aid and Attendance Benefit
With many pensions available through the VA, veterans seeking VA benefits for home care may be confused about certain requirements that must be met. One pension that can cause a great deal of confusion is known as the Aid and Attendance Benefit. This pension was developed following World War I. The initial intention was to provide financial assistance to injured and disabled soldiers returning from battle.

VA Benefit for Home Care: Aid and Attendance Benefits
It has grown through the years and now provides financial assistance to veterans from all walks of life, whether they were injured or disabled during active duty service or not, so long as they meet the requirements of the pension.
One of the requirements is that at least one day of a veterans active duty service must have fallen during a time of ‘official combat.’ Of course, this has a tendency to cause some confusion. Some family members may assume this means the veteran would have to have fought in a forward combat situation.
In other words, they assume the veteran needs to have been in active combat.
That is not the case. A veteran could have served in South America during the Vietnam War. They might have even been stationed in the United States and never left the country. If they served any time in which the United States was officially engaged in active combat, which is essentially World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, or the Gulf War, they would qualify for this type of pension based on that requirement or condition (this does not in any way stipulate that veterans would qualify just because of their active duty service).
Equally important, the veteran needs to have a non-service related medical condition that requires the aid of a caregiver.
If you or a loved one is looking for a VA benefit for home care that can help pay for associated costs, look into the Aid and Attendance Benefit if the veterans are considered a ‘wartime veteran’. Being confused about certain requirements or conditions is understandable and while the VA might make it extremely difficult to get accurate and reliable information, there are options available that can help, most notably quality organizations that specialize in helping veterans with the Aid and Attendance Benefit.