Can Veterans Stack Benefits? A man peers over a tall stack of paperwork folders

We hear it all the time, “My client is currently getting in-home care from Medicaid or VA Choremakers and wouldn’t qualify.” But did you know that Homemaker Services and Medicaid can be layered with the VA benefit Pension with Aid and Attendance? It is another resource the Veteran or surviving spouse can apply for to help pay…

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Vintage photo of Margaret "Chris" Thornburg, a Navy Veteran, framed over an American flag

  Margaret “Chris” Thornburg has all the qualities that define southern charm. She is polite, kind, witty, and considerate. You can imagine yourself sitting on a front porch swing on a warm afternoon, sipping sweet tea, laughing, and talking with her for hours. She instantly feels like someone you’ve known your whole life or at…

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The Obstacles of Growth in Home Care: red and blue chairs stacked into a tall tower against a concrete wall

Ten years ago, the Companion Exemption was in place. Agencies could pay a live-in per day wage with no overtime pay. Craigslist was a recruiting tool that would yield more applicants than an agency could hire, and caregiver wages were slightly higher than other service industries. Home care agencies didn’t compete with restaurants or, for…

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Older woman with her hand on her forehead looking distressed, with a man holding his head in the background

It can be challenging to watch your loved ones struggle as their body and mind decline with age, but what do you do if a diagnosis of Dementia occurs? Unfortunately, it happens to the best of us. We start to forget things as we age. Maybe we find ourselves walking from room to room looking…

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Vintage portrait of James Wideman in his Army uniform, framed over an American flag

James Wideman was born in May of 1945 in St. Louis, MO. He was the fifth child of seven. There were six boys and one girl. Wideman enjoyed growing up in the city, spending his days with friends playing basketball, bottle caps, softball, and jumping garage roofs when they were close enough. “It was a…

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Helping the Veterans of the Korean Conflict Age in Place: an older couple smiling together beneath an American flag

  It seems impossible to believe, but in a war where more than 5 million of its citizens served in the Armed Forces, a conflict could be deemed America’s “forgotten war.” However, that’s primarily the case with the Korean War, which began more than 70 years ago. In fact, if it weren’t for the enduring…

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Vintage portrait of Kenneth Fontenot in Army dress uniform and cap over an American flag

During Vietnam, Kenneth Fontenot was part of a classified underground electronics unit for the Army Signal Corps. After the military, he did many different jobs, from construction, electrical, roughnecking, ambulance attendant, preacher, and therapist. He said, “My daddy called me an educated fool, learned everything, and never stuck with one thing.” Fontenot stated, “I almost…

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Home Care Licensing: map of the United States over a background of hundred-dollar bills

  Does Home Care Licensing Benefit Our Industry? In July, Ohio will be the 30th state to require a home care license. The $250 fee and license application will require fingerprinting for the primary owner, a copy of the criminal records check policy, and a copy of policies and procedures related to the services offered.…

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Honoring Vietnam Veterans March 29th: bronze statue of nurses tending a wounded soldier

  “We hope everyone will join together on March 29, 2022, to honor Vietnam Veterans and their families during this 5th anniversary of National Vietnam War Veterans Day,” said Phil Waite, chief of strategic engagement for The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration. “These warriors – our Nation’s blood and treasure from a generation…

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