Serving in the United States armed forces comes with many benefits. You are probably already familiar with some of them: zero down payment mortgages, paid college tuition and discounts on various products and services.
But there is much more to veteran benefits, especially when it comes to senior care. If you are caring for someone who served in a branch of the military, including the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard, help may be closer than you think.
VA Benefits help pay for senior care
Aid is available for senior or disabled veterans depending on their level of care needed and financial status. Even surviving spouses of wartime veterans may qualify for aid. Senior care comes in a variety of forms from supplemental assisted living to health care and funeral costs. And when you consider the high cost of senior care, these benefits can be a real financial help.
The average monthly cost for a base assisted living home in 2015 was $3,771 per month. Depending on the circumstances, the VA will contribute $2,000 or more per month to help cover those costs.
Veterans don’t know what benefits are available
As many as 69 percent of veterans and their families are unaware of the benefits available to them, a survey conducted by Harris Interactive showed. And there are more than 9.5 million veterans over the age of 65, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
“The survey results highlight what our advisors have found to be true based on our work with nearly 200,000 veterans since 2010: there is a gap in awareness when it comes to financial resources available to veterans and their spouses seeking assisted living care,” said Jennifer Mellet, Vice President of Senior Living Advising, A Place for Mom. “Veterans and their spouses are often eligible for benefits, but the process to apply is not well-promoted, or may be so complicated that families are unsure where to begin. Our goal is to raise awareness and help our nation’s veterans access the support they need as they seek senior care solutions.”
For more information on VA benefits for seniors, visit benefits.va.gov.
Sources:
http://www.aplaceformom.com/blog/11-11-13-veterans-benefits-paying-senior-care/
