4 Things to Know About Home Care Options for Veterans
Veterans Care
When you’re looking into home care options for a veteran, whether it’s an elderly family member like a grandfather or father, you might not know what to look for or expect. There are many different options when it comes to home care for seniors, whether they are veterans of the United States military or not.
When it comes to veterans, though, there’s a strong desire among family members and others to do whatever they can to help them in their time and need, especially if they were enlisted during a time of war.
Here are four things you would do well to learn about various home care options for veterans, whether they are elderly or much younger.
1. There are pensions that may help.
The two most significant pensions that are designed to help veterans get proper home care support are the Aid and Attendance Benefit and the Homebound pension. There is a significant difference between the two as the Aid and Attendance Benefit is designed more for those who have some ability to get around, but need basic support and care at home. The Homebound pension is for those who are, for the most part, unable to leave their home for one reason or another.
2. Time of service it is important, too.
When it comes to the Aid and Attendance Benefit, the length of service is important. The veteran needs to have served a minimum of 90 days active duty in one of the major branches of the United States military.
On top of that, at least one of their days of service needs to have fallen during an active time of combat, as defined by Congress. This can include World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, or the Gulf War.
3. Home care is essential to good, positive health.
When a veteran is having difficulty staying safe and tending to their own basic care at home, a home care aide can be an invaluable resource. If their doctor has recommended home care support, that goes a long way toward showing the VA that this is an absolute necessity at this point in their life, which is one of the requirements for the Aid and Attendance Benefit.
4. Agencies provide the best support.
When finally looking for actual support in the form of a home care aide, avoid trying to hire an independent caregiver. A lot of people turn to this option in the hopes of saving some money, but agencies provide the best support.
Increasing numbers of agencies are more carefully interviewing potential employees, running background screenings on them, and providing the proper training they need to help seniors and other disabled adults in the best way possible.