VA Aid and Attendance Pension Benefit

Anyone has the potential to be diagnosed with a variety of diseases, including ALS. Also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, this can make care at home increasingly difficult as it progresses. There is VA-Aid-and-Attendance-Pension-Benefitno cure for ALS at the moment and as May is ALS Awareness Month, for aging veterans who have been diagnosed with this disease, the right type of support, in the form of a qualified and experienced caregiver, can make a world of difference.

There are many reasons why aging veterans with ALS can benefit from a home care aide. First and foremost, an experienced caregiver provides the right type of physical support the senior may need as they progress through this disease. As ALS progresses, it will make it more and more difficult for the elderly veteran to grip onto certain objects, get up and down stairs, and do a variety of different tasks.

ALS will affect people differently, so it’s important not to assume the symptoms for one individual will be the same for another. For example, one aging veteran with ALS may be able to hold utensils without a problem and even lift a coffee cup without any issues, but might have difficulty going up and down stairs. Another senior may have no trouble walking around and even climbing up and down stairs, but can’t even hold a pen comfortably or even safely anymore.

Why home care and not a family member?

Family members can certainly offer assistance and support to their elderly loved one during these moments of difficulty and challenges, but nothing beats experience. Family members are often focused on one primary thing, and that is safety.

It’s certainly important to keep elderly loved ones safe, especially when they are dealing with such a serious disease such as Lou Gehrig’s disease. However, just because they have been diagnosed with this particular disease doesn’t mean they have to stop living their life and give up the activities they enjoy.

A home care aide who works for an agency will likely receive a great deal of training for the job itself. On top of that, they will begin working with a variety of different senior clients, including veterans, who have different physical needs and limitations.

This type of experience will allow these caregivers to have better insight into the best strategies to help make these aging veterans most comfortable, not just at home, but in their daily life.

This month, consider talking to elderly veterans diagnosed with ALS about the value of home care support.

 

If you or a loved one are considering the VA Aid and Attendance Pension Benefit, please contact the friendly staff at Veterans Care Coordination. Call today: 1-855-777-4693

 

Posted in VA Aid and Attendance Pension Benefit

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.