174. Ask Lori: Veterans's Aid and Attendance program most frequently asked questions

Aging in Style with Lori Williams

’m a veteran, can VA help me pay for senior living?

You’re in luck. Did you know the VA Aid and Attendance benefit can help pay for some types of senior living?

The VA has many different programs out there, so it can be a bit complicated. VA Aid and Attendance is specifically designed to help veterans who need assistance with activities of daily living, like bathing, dressing, mobility, etc.

To qualify, you must:

1. Be a veteran or the spouse of a veteran (with exceptions)
2. Have served during eligible periods of war, like World War II, Korea, or Vietnam
3. Be 65 or older
4. Meet the needs requirements
5. Demonstrate financial need - there are income and asset restrictions

Keep in mind the VA won’t pay your senior living bill directly. Instead, they send you a monthly check, starting at around $2,229 a month. Spouses get around $1,432, and if you're a veteran married to another vet, you can receive up to $3,536 together. That's enough to make a huge difference in affording assisted living, memory care or residential care homes!

Here’s the catch: receiving this benefit involves paperwork (lots of it!), and it can take months to be approved. But the good news is that it's retroactive, so you are paid back for the time you waited. Plus, there are organizations like Patriot Angels who can help navigate the whole process.

Common myths about VA Aid and Assistance include:

1. Myth #1: It pays for any kind of senior living: It primarily helps pay for assisted living, memory care or licensed residential care homes.
2. Myth #2: It's quick and easy to get: No, as mentioned, it can be a bit of a process.
3. Myth #3: Divorce disqualifies you: If you were married to a veteran for at least 30 years before they passed, and you haven't remarried, you still qualify.

Topics discussed:

• VA Aid and Assistance benefit
• VA benefit Eligibility
• Common misconceptions of VA Aid and Assistance
• War veterans and senior living
• VA benefits for seniors

Takeaways from this episode:

- Use and reliable resources like elder law attorneys or organizations like Patriot Angels to apply for VA Aid and Assistance.

- Army, Navy, and Air Force veterans qualify for VA Aid and Assistance. National Guard and Coast Guard don’t qualify.

- For funding, senior living communities look at social security and pension income, long-term care insurance, and VA Aid and Assistance.

- If you already have a home care agency helping you with non-medical tasks like bathing or dressing, you might qualify.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Get my new book, 'Surrounded by Love: One's Family Journey Through Stroke Recovery': https://loriwilliams-seniorservices.com/book

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006. Home Health and Home Care explained: an interview with Kevin Jones

https://www.loriwilliams-seniorservices.com/aging-in-style-podcast/episode/79a39e48/006-home-health-and-home-care-explained-an-interview-with-kevin-jones-owner-of-brightstar-care-flower-mound

Patriot Angels:

https://www.patriotangels.com