Veterans are really no different than anyone else. Just because they haven’t served in a few years or even decades doesn’t mean they have completely left behind their training, camaraderie, or personality they developed while in service, but that also doesn’t mean they will act completely different from most other men and women. Sometimes, veterans will refuse in-home care support for the very same reasons other seniors and disabled adults do: it could be a matter of pride, naivety, or they assume they can’t afford it.

 

Veterans Care: Some Veterans Refuse Support

Veterans Care: Some Veterans Refuse Support

 

What if they can’t afford home care aides?

If a veteran cannot pay for a home care aide because he or she only has a limited pension or Social Security disability payment coming in, they will likely struggle with their own basic care. They might lean on family and friends, but they will often have a lower quality of life because there are so many things they are missing out on.

 

For those veterans who are limited in their income and assets and are considered ‘wartime veterans,’ they just might qualify for what is known as the Aid and Attendance Benefit.

 

This pension provides financial assistance to pay for home care support.

In order to qualify, a veteran needs to have served a minimum of 90 days active duty in one of the major branches of the United States military. At least one day of active duty service needs to have overlapped a time of official combat. This would include World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Gulf War. If they served any time during the Gulf War, their minimum time of service needs to be two years.

 

They also must be able to show on their application that home care support is necessary for safety, quality of life, or getting through each day, such as performing Activities of Daily Living (ADLs).

If the veteran is adamant about refusing in-home care support for other reasons, it may require some carefully planned conversations, discussions about the future, talking about things they can no longer do (but might be able to with the right support) and to get them realizing that this has no bearing on their life, independence, or autonomy in any other way besides having an experienced home care aide supporting them with the things they need help most.

Not everyone is going to accept home care support when they need it, but when they have family and friends encouraging them, giving them truthfully, honest answers about what this level of support is, more people begin to open up to the idea and that could very well be the first step in the right direction.

 

If you or a loved one are needing assistance with Veterans Care, please contact the friendly staff at Veterans Care Coordination™.
Call today: 1-855-380-4400

Posted in Care for Aging Veterans, Veterans 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.