Aging Veterans Can Face Challenges Including the Need For Home Care Support
Veterans Care: Aging veterans can face challenges, including the need for home care support.
As veterans get older or begin facing unexpected challenges with mobility, health, or strength, adjustments may need to be made. They may no longer be able to do activities, hobbies, or play certain sports they love. For many, it can become frustrating.
For those veterans who begin to struggle with activities of daily living, home care is a great support.
Families have many demands on their time including caring for their aging parents. A home care aide can provide services to assist with activities of daily living. Home care aides can assist with: meal preparation, grocery shopping, laundry, light housekeeping, companionship, bathing, dressing, transferring in/out of bed, assistance to appointments, incontinence, hygiene, and so much more.
It’s not easy for veterans to ask for help with these things.
It can especially be true when the aging veteran may only have a few family members in the area who are capable of stopping by to assist them. Some veterans, though, could not imagine paying a home care aide to help, even for a few hours a couple of days a week.
That’s where the Aid and Attendance Benefit could be instrumental.
Pension with Aid and Attendance is designed for honorably discharged ‘wartime veterans,’ meaning those who served at least one-day of active duty during a time in which the United States was actively engaged in combat. Minimum time of service needs to be 90 days except for those who served any time during the Gulf War, in which case they need to have served 24 months minimum.
Veterans also must have a medical condition not related to military service requiring assistance with activities of daily living. Additionally, there are asset requirements and the veteran must meet an income-to-medical expense ratio.
It’s not always easy adjusting to changing circumstances, especially when those changes make it more difficult to stay safe and healthy at home. The Pension with Aid and Attendance Benefit might allow some veterans to afford home care services and remain living independently within their homes while alleviating stress and helping to maintain family harmony.