Veterans face many challenges every day. But the challenges that face injured veterans are hard to fathom. Fully and partially disabled veterans find it difficult to live an independent life.
That’s where assisted living facilities come into play. There are two ways veterans can obtain assisted living benefits:
- Apply for a monthly stipend through the Department of Veteran Affairs
- Apply for residency in a federally funded veteran’s home.
Here’s how it works.
Veterans with disabilities whether they are service-related or not, have a greater need of accessible housing. As they age, veterans may lose the ability to maintain their independent lifestyles, including basic hygiene and meal preparation.
Assisted living facilities provide highly trained medical professionals who can help veterans with:
- Basic hygiene, including bathing and dressing
- Medicine reminders
- Meal preparation
- Housekeeping services, such as laundry and cleaning
For veterans in need of assisted living care, the VA offers increased pensions. Veterans and survivors could be eligible for what’s known as Aid & Attendance and Housebound assistance. According to the VA, “Veterans and survivors who are eligible for a VA pension and require the aid and attendance of another person, or are housebound, may be eligible for additional monetary payment. These benefits are paid in addition to monthly pension, and they are not paid without eligibility to Pension.”
Veterans who meet eligibility requirements could receive up to $8,796 a year in additional benefits. According to AssistedLiving.org, “VA pension eligibility is required, which means you must meet certain income and active duty requirements. Additionally, veterans must also be age 65 or older with limited or no income, totally and permanently disabled, a patient in a nursing home receiving skilled nursing care, receiving Social Security Disability Insurance, or receiving Supplemental Security Income.”
To qualify for Aid & Attendance, veterans or survivors must meet at least one condition:
- Require the aid of another person for personal functions such as bathing, feeding, dressing, toileting, or adjusting prosthetic devices
- Bedridden or required to remain in bed except for prescribed courses of convalescence or treatment
- Nursing home patient due to mental or physical incapacity
- Eyesight limited to corrected 5/200 visual acuity or less in both eyes or concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less
Other need-based aid includes:
- Veteran-Directed Homes and Community Based Services
- Community Living Centers
- Armed Forces Retirement Home
- State Veterans Homes
For more information on assisted living benefits for veterans, visit https://www.assistedliving.org/assisted-living-benefits-for-veterans/
