There are nearly ten million U.S. Veterans over the age of 65, with 7 in 10 married. That’s at least 7 million military spouses who could be eligible for the Pension with Aid and Attendance benefit. The Pension with Aid and Attendance is a benefit provided by the VA for qualifying wartime Veterans and their surviving spouses. The focus of this benefit is to help Veterans and their surviving spouses get the support and care they need through professional home care services. This includes assistance with activities of daily living.

Whether you are a surviving spouse of a Veteran who passed away recently or many years ago, you may be eligible for the VA Pension with Aid & Attendance benefit. These funds are designed to ease the financial burden of much-needed home care.

When an elderly Veteran passes away, their surviving spouse may have difficulty keeping up with the housework and other activities of everyday life. As the spouses’ age, they may have increased health issues and physical challenges. When those challenges become too much, they may turn to family, friends, and neighbors for help. What if there’s not enough support available?

A Professional Home Care Agency is one option to consider.

A professional home care agency will know how to work within the seniors’ capabilities. For example, caregivers can provide physical support as seniors try to stand or bathe. But they can also offer emotional support as many seniors become frustrated or embarrassed. Caregivers have the experience it takes to help lift or support a senior that is struggling on their own. This caregiver support can help the elderly regain confidence and remain independent in their own home. Unfortunately, paying for home care services may seem almost impossible for those who are limited in their income and assets.

The qualifications the widow must-have will be the same.

A veteran’s surviving spouse may be eligible for the VA’s benefit Pension with Aid and Attendance to ease the financial burden of paying for much-needed home care. For the surviving spouse to qualify, the eligible Veteran would need to have served at least 90 days active duty in one of the major branches of the United States Military. A minimum of one day of their active service needs to have overlapped either World War II, the Korean Conflict, the Vietnam Era, or the Persian Gulf War. If any type of their service overlapped the Persian Gulf War, they need to have served at least 24 months active duty. In addition, the surviving spouse would need to prove that they meet an income to medical expense ratio and that home care is necessary at this point in their life in order to qualify for this pension support.

Veterans Care Coordination strives to help as many Veterans and surviving spouses as possible gain access to the home care they need to continue living the high-quality life they deserve. Our partner providers join Veterans Care Coordination in the mission to improve the quality of life for Veterans and their families. We partner with quality home care providers to help navigate the VA’s application process for pension funds, maximize the VA pensions benefits, and get care started as quickly as possible.

Posted in Aid and Attendance Benefit, Veterans Spouse Care

About Kyle Laramie, Founder & CEO

Kyle founded Veterans Care Coordination in April 2011. As its founder and CEO of VCC, Kyle is driven by the memory of his grandfather, a World War II Veteran who unnecessarily missed out on essential VA benefits because Kyle’s family wasn’t aware of available opportunities. In recognition of his impact in leadership, Kyle was named to the St. Louis Business Journal’s prestigious “40 Under 40” list and St. Louis Small Business Monthly’s “100 St. Louisans to Know” in 2014. VCC was named a St. Louis Small Business Monthly “Top 20” small business and a finalist for the St. Louis Post Dispatch Top Workplace (2015-2022), St. Louis Business Journal Best Place to Work (2019 & 2022), and the Arcus Awards (2014). The team has served more than 14,000 Veteran clients and their families. Kyle frequently speaks on Veterans’ benefits, addressing conferences such as the Home Care Association of America and Decision Health. He is passionate about giving back and has built a charitable-minded organization that supports various philanthropic efforts.