Most veterans are now aware of the various programs that are available to them to help them pay for healthcare expenses. Many know about medical services provided at the VA hospital, and some may be aware of nursing home benefits.

But what about expenses prior to nursing home confinement? What help is available to our veterans or their surviving spouses when they need care at home or need to move into an assisted living facility?

The VA Aid and Attendance program is designed to help in these situations, providing our veterans or their surviving spouses with a TAX-FREE income to pay for home healthcare agencies or assisted living expenses. A married veteran can receive over $2,000 per month to pay for these expenses, allowing them to stay at home longer or afford to move into a facility where they can receive the kind of care they need. Single veterans may be eligible for over $1,700 per month, while the surviving spouses of veterans may receive over $1,100 per month to pay for these expenses.

This special pension is designed to help the veteran pay for the assistance of someone to help them with the activities of daily living such as eating, dressing, mobility, toileting, or bathing. If the veteran is over the age of 65, the need for care does not have to be service connected. Mental incapacity due to dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease, hip replacements, or other diseases of old age may qualify the veteran or spouse for this benefit. Care can be provided at home, in an assisted living facility, or a nursing home and the care can be provided by friends, relatives, or professional staff.

Many veterans or their surviving spouse are currently living at home and require the assistance of someone to come in to help them with things around the house such as cooking, cleaning, etc. while at the same time helping them with buttons on clothing, getting from one place to another, etc. These individuals may qualify as well even though the majority of the services being performed are for household chores. Many of these seniors prefer to stay at home but cannot afford to have someone help them with these activities, while some of these individuals may actually remain at home because they feel they cannot afford to move to an assisted living facility or nursing home. With this tax-free pension, they may be able to afford it after all. Or the difference in income may be sufficient enough to allow them to move to a different facility that is closer to family but was cost-prohibitive without the benefit.

Many seniors find the application process confusing and time consuming, but with the help of companies such as United Senior Advisors Group, many veterans are finding that they do, indeed, qualify for some, if not all, of the yearly amount. Their VA Accredited Agent states, “Our veterans have served this country with pride. It is now time for them to be served by helping them pay for the aid and assistance they need to conduct their lives in a dignified manner.”

United Senior Advisors Group assists prospective applicants with the process. Gathering military records, marriage, birth, and death certificates, and financial records that are necessary components of the application process can be burdensome, but the payout can be significant. In addition, the application process can take over six months of processing time (although benefits are retroactive to the time of application) but may be decreased if you are using the services of a company familiar with the process.

The final analysis: If you, your spouse, father, or mother served our country during a period of war, check out your eligibility for this benefit by calling (480) 339-7132. If you require assistance at home, if you currently live in a senior retirement community or assisted living facility, or if nursing care is inevitable, you may be able to increase your standard of living or move into the type of facility where you can receive the care you need. Do not fail to plan. As an example, assume your family needs some type of memory care. These costs can run up to $7,000 a month, or more. Do the math. $7,000 times 12 months is $84,000 a year. Multiply that amount by 5 years, and to pay these costs would run close to a half a million dollars! Can you afford to write a check for these costs? Will you be passing a legacy to your children, if you spend all your savings on care? Planning, and pre-planning are extremely important to make sure that first Mom and Dad can both be cared for properly, let alone preserving an estate for the children and grandchildren.

For an initial eligibility evaluation to receive these TAX-FREE benefits, contact United Senior Advisors Group at (480) 339-7132 or attend one of our upcoming even. United Senior Advisors Group specializes in helping families that are transitioning into long-term healthcare environments, whether that care is at home, in an assisted living facility, or a nursing home. We also work with families on issues related to Medicaid eligibility.

You served us, now let us serve you.