Memorial Day 2022 is upon us, and as I ponder the freedoms I have as an American, I can’t help but feel enormous gratitude for the military men and women who served so valiantly but died in the line of duty. They essentially signed blank checks for amounts up to and including their lives to protect these freedoms. I humbly salute all Veterans past and present who served in our nation’s military. Many, many thanks for your service and sacrifice!
Remembering the service and sacrifice of Veterans and considering the nature of my business, I felt compelled to share more about the care services that are covered by Aid and Attendance benefits and how Home Helpers® Clearwater can be of service to Veterans and their spouses.
Aid and Attendance
Aid and Attendance is a pension benefit that pays qualified Veterans and their spouses for specific costs associated with in-home care by an approved provider, as well as care in an assisted living or skilled nursing facility. Care services must be necessary due to cognitive or physical limitations and may include custodial and personal care.
To qualify for A&A benefits, a Veteran must have served in the military for a minimum of 90 days of active duty, with at least one day during an eligible wartime period (World War II, Korean, Vietnam, Persian Gulf).
Additionally, the Veteran or their spouse must:
- Be unable to live independently without support
- Require regular aid with personal care activities such as bathing, dressing, feeding, personal hygiene; or transferring or adjusting a prosthetic or orthopedic device
- Need aid due to safety risks (physical or mental limitations) associated with injury or illness
According to American Veterans Aid (AVA), “The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Aid and Attendance benefit helps Veterans and spouses cover the cost of long-term care, including home care, board and care, adult day care, assisted living and skilled nursing facility care. The benefit is paid monthly and is tax-free.”
Types of Care Services Covered by Aid and Attendance Benefits
AVA explains “The types of care provided must include help with some activities of daily living (ADLS).”
Activities of Daily Living include:
- Mobility/Transfers – Assistance may be required to go up and down stairs; in and out of cars; or in or out of chairs, beds, or wheelchairs.
- Dressing – Help with getting dressed can be retrieving clothes from closets and dressers, buttoning shirts, zipping pants, and putting on and removing clothing.
- Grooming – Personal care assistance may include bathing, brushing teeth, combing hair, and general personal hygiene.
- Toileting – This includes help on or off the commode and assistance with incontinence.
- Eating – Meal preparation and actual feeding the person is necessary in various circumstances.
- Monitoring – This is when someone remains in close proximity to assist to prevent injury during ADLS.
Home Helpers® is a recognized organization that successfully provides these services and so much more. Our goal is to be family when family can’t be there, so our personal care services will always mirror what is provided by family members, and they are designed to help Veterans and spouses maintain their independence, avoid isolation, and stay safe and comfortable at home.
Our care services include but are not limited to general assistance, companionship, meal preparation, specialized care, and transportation. Additionally, caregiving support services can be provided anywhere they are needed besides at home: hospitals, rehabilitation centers, retirement communities, assisted living and skilled nursing facilities.
If you have any questions about Aid and Attendance benefits for Veterans and spouses, I am happy to share information and resources, and I will gladly schedule a FREE Consultation, at your convenience, to assess specific needs and find the perfect professional caregiver to deliver the approved caregiving services you or your special senior Veteran require. 727.942.2539.
We, at Home Helpers® Clearwater, are honored to have received the Home Care Pulse – Best of Home Care® Provider of Choice Award 2016-2022 and the Best of Home Care® Employer of Choice Award 2022. We proudly serve male and female seniors in Clearwater, Dunedin, Palm Harbor, Safety Harbor, Tarpon Springs, Holiday, New Port Richey, Trinity, Port Richey, Hudson, and surrounding areas. Home Helpers®…we are Making Life Easier℠ 727.942.2539
Source:
American Veterans Aid
