How to Afford Home Care in Houston TX for Veterans or a Surviving Spouse

The VA Aid and Attendance Pension Benefit is one way for veterans or their surviving spouses to afford in-home care. Before applying for the VA Aid and Attendance Pension Benefit for a Veteran or Surviving Spouse – Get Organized! Make sure you have all of your paperwork in order and copies of all important documents PRIOR to filing. More importantly GET HELP. See notes below.

See links to important documents at the bottom of this article.

Step 1:
First, the Veteran must have certified copies of his or her discharge papers. If the Veteran has a copy of his or her DD 214, take it to a local Veteran’s office where they will make certified copies at no charge. If there is no copy available, contact the VA to get a copy.
Step 2:
Second, the Veteran must have a medical reason for needing home care. They must be considered homebound. The medical reason does not have to be a serious or life-threatening condition. The home care agency will have a doctor’s report to be completed by the Veteran’s doctor. A copy of this report must be filed along with the application.
Step 3:
Third, to qualify financially, an applicant must have on average less than $80,000 in assets, excluding their home and vehicles.
Step 4:
Fourth, the Veteran must actually be receiving home care services at the time of application. The application process takes from three to six months and is retroactive to first day of the month the application was originally filed. For this reason, make sure your Veteran has the funds to cover the entire cost of home care for at least the first six months. Once the application is processed, the Veteran will receive a lump sum check for the retroactive benefit, then a monthly benefit check from that time on.

Important Documents for the VA Aid and Attendance Pension Benefit

• Standard Form 180 – Requesting Military Records
• Use VA Form 21-526 to apply for compensation and/or pension benefits
• VA Form 21-534 to apply for benefits as a surviving spouse
• Nursing Home Status Statement
• Physicians Statement for Need for Regular Aid and Attendance
• AUTHORIZATION TO DISCLOSE PERSONAL INFORMATION TO A THIRD PARTY
• Use VA Form 21-601 to apply for accrued benefits due the beneficiary but not paid prior to death.

The veteran must have served during a period of war as defined by the VA.

• Indian Wars: January 1, 1817, through December 31, 1898. The veteran must have served thirty days or more, or for the duration of such Indian War. Service must have been with the U.S. forces against Indian tribes or nations.
• Spanish-American War: April 21, 1898, through July 4, 1902, including the Philippine Insurrection and the Boxer Rebellion. Also included are those individuals engaged in the Moro Province hostilities through July 15, 1903.
• Mexican Border War: May 9, 1916, through April 5, 1917. The veteran must have served for one day or more in Mexico, on the borders thereof, or in the waters adjacent thereto.
• World War I: April 6, 1917, through November 11, 1918, extended to April 1, 1920, for those who served in the Soviet Union. Service after November 11, 1918, through July 2, 1921, qualifies for benefits purposes if active duty was performed for any period during the basic World War I period.
• World War II: December 7, 1941, through December 31, 1946, extended to July 25, 1947, where continuous with active duty on or before December 31, 1946.
• Korean Conflict: June 27, 1950, through January 31, 1955.
• Vietnam Era: August 5, 1964, through May 7, 1975.90 However, February 28, 1961, through May 7,1975, for a veteran who served in the Republic of Vietnam during that period.
• Persian Gulf War: August 2, 1990, through a date to be prescribed by Presidential proclamation or law.
• Congress has not enacted legislation that would make the periods covering the 1983-1984 Lebanon crisis or the invasions of Grenada and Panama wartime service.

Resource: http://www.HelpforAgingVeterans.com

For information about how At Your Side Home Care can help your senior veteran with home care, contact our caregivers at 832-271-1600 or fill out our web form today!

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Donna Wrabel, LMSW

Co-Owner at At Your Side Home Care

For most of us, the word "home" evokes warm feelings of comfort, security and well-being. For older adults, home also means holding tight to cherished memories and maintaining self-esteem and independence. When illness, injury or age make life a little more challenging, remaining at home in a comfortable, familiar environment encourages recovery and enhances the quality of life. Home can be defined as a private residence, an independent or assisted living facility or even a short term stay in the hospital, we recognize the additional benefits provided by a personal, professional assistant.

Our Certified Nurse Aides, 24-Hour Live-in Assistants and Home Health Aides are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We also provide the security and confidence of 24-hour Telephone Assistance, so fast, reliable help is always available when it's needed. To learn more about our homecare services see our homecare services page.

Different people need different levels of homecare. To meet the requirements of our clients, At Your Side Homecare maintains consistent staffing levels of caring professionals. Homecare service is available for as little as a few hours a week, or as many as 24 hours a day, seven days a week

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