Veteran service personnel give their best, but it can be difficult for them to return to civilian life, particularly if they have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It can be difficult to integrate into the community. Even later in life, veterans may face additional obstacles if they have to move into an assisted living facility (ALF). This is due to the high cost of care.
There are many benefits that can be provided to veterans and their spouses in order to ease the financial burden of long-term assisted living in Myrtle Beach.
The Little-Known Benefit of Aid and Attendance for Vets
The Aid and Attendance benefit is one of the most important financial resources available to veterans living in assisted living facilities. Aid and Attendance, which is offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs, is a monthly, need-based payment that goes above and beyond the VA Pension and can be used to help pay for long-term care costs.
For veterans who require assistance to complete daily activities, Aid and Attendance can be provided. You may need some help with dressing, undressing, eating and grooming, as well as bathing and using the toilet. These tasks are essential for an individual to be able to live independently. This benefit is not only for veterans who have served in the military.
Aid and Attendance are usually awarded to veterans who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. Because the disease often requires that individuals live in a safe environment for their health and safety, Aid and Attendance are usually awarded.
Although the funds from Aid and Attendance are not specifically intended to pay for assisted living, they can be used in that way.
This website provides clear explanations of how Aid and Attendance pension works. A&A pension provides up to $11830 per month to a single veteran, $21,170 to a veteran with an eligible spouse, $1176 per month for a surviving spouse, and $2,903 per month to a married couple who are veterans. An eligible veteran who has a spouse with a disability can receive up to $1,438 per month. This is a large amount of money that can go towards Christian assisted living.
It may be easier than you think to qualify
Navigating eligibility requirements can be daunting for veterans and their families, especially if a serious illness is already present. It is possible to apply for assistance, but it may not be as difficult as you might think.
This benefit is not known by many veterans or their families. However, those who do know about it tend to overlook the fact that the aid and attendance pension is available for disabled veterans who are still independent but have a spouse who has been diagnosed with a serious illness. If the spouse’s medical bills completely reduce the couple’s monthly income, the veteran may still file as a veteran with an incapacitated spouse.
A veteran does not need to have suffered from a service-related disability in order to be eligible. Only one day must have been completed during the 90-day minimum service in the military, including caregiving duties for daily living activities.
While eligibility requirements vary from one state to the next, there are significant benefits. To find out if you or a loved one are eligible, contact your local Veteran Affairs office. It’s important to look at all options available for veterans in order to receive the best possible health care and housing later in life.
How to Apply
You can find the forms necessary to apply for A&A benefits on the official VA website. Once you have completed the forms and assembled the documents, make copies of the originals and keep them safe.
It can take a while to apply for A&A benefits. Families can spend weeks gathering the required paperwork and supporting documents. It often takes 9 months to get approval after the application is submitted. If the applicant is older than 90 years old, you may request expedited approval.
A complete application that is error-free can speed up the process. You’ll avoid any delays caused by having to collect more paperwork or correct errors. Many families seek the guidance of a Veterans Benefits Advisor because applying for benefits can be confusing and complicated.
What Aid and Attendance Covers and Doesn’t Cover
Although the A&A benefits do not cover all costs associated with assisted living facilities, they can pay for some of them. This benefit is great for veterans and their spouses who need long-term care.
A&A benefits, which are in addition to the monthly amount of the pension, will not be paid unless you qualify for the Pension. People who aren’t financially eligible to receive a basic pension could be eligible for the pension at higher rates due to A&A allowances.
Basic Pensions: A Solution to Rising Care Costs
VA Pensions are a financial benefit for veterans who have reached 65 years of age. The pensions are not intended to pay for senior living facilities, but can be used in any other way the veteran chooses. The funds can also be used to pay for adult daycare or home care aids for veterans who are not yet in assisted living facilities.
A basic pension is available to eligible veterans who are over 65 years old and meet certain financial requirements.
VA considers any veteran over 65 as permanently and totally disabled, regardless of their physical condition. If the income and net worth criteria are met, the widow or veteran can receive a Basic Pension. Same applies to the spouse who is surviving. For Basic Pension filing, there is no need for a Physician’s Declaration.
Who is eligible?
It can be difficult to determine whether a veteran is eligible for a pension, especially when you consider all the financial requirements.
A veteran must have served at most 90 days of active duty. At least one day must be during active wartime.
The veteran must also meet at least one requirement:
- At least 65 years old with low or no income
- Permanently and completely disabled
- Permanent resident at a nursing home
- Get Social Security Disability Insurance
- Get Supplemental Security Income
How to Apply
Online applications for Veterans Pension Benefits are possible. You can also download, print and complete the VA Form 21P-527EZ “Application to Pension”. After all paperwork has been completed and all required documents have been collected, you can mail the application to your local Pension Management Center.
You can also collect and submit forms in person. You can visit your regional benefit office. Use the VA Facility Locator to locate your regional benefit office.
You can only apply for the increase in pension amount for A&A and Housebound benefits if you are already receiving pension. To be eligible for the higher benefit amount, you will need medical evidence such as a doctor’s report.
Other options
Although Aid and Attendance is a great option, it might not be the best for all veterans. This is especially true for those who are confined to their homes. These cases are where Housebound Benefits can be used to assist disabled veterans in their retirement living.
What are the Housebound Benefits?
Housebound benefits, which are similar to Aid and Attendance, provide an additional monthly pension amount to the basic monthly pension amount. This benefit is available to veterans who are housebound or confined to their homes due to permanent disability. If a veteran is housebound or is confined to a room or unit while in an institution, they can receive Housebound benefits.
Eligibility
Housebound benefits are not available to veterans without being eligible for Basic Pension. However, the monthly pension amount for housebound veterans can be increased so that those who aren’t eligible for basic pension may become eligible for pension at higher rates.
If a veteran is permanently disabled and confined to their home, they may be eligible for Housebound Benefits. The applicant is only allowed to leave the home for medical appointments, and they need the help of another person when they are away. It could also indicate that the applicant is unable or unable to leave the home in order to get the things they need.
Veteran can’t get both Aid and Attendance and Housebound benefits at the same time. However, they might be eligible for the greater of the two benefits.
How to Apply
Housebound benefits can be applied for by writing to your local Pension Management Center. You can also submit or collect forms in person. You can visit your regional benefit office. Use the VA Facility Locator to locate your regional benefit office.
Any medical documentation that supports the Housebound benefit is required, including copies from a doctor’s detailed report. It should not only describe the disability that rendered the applicant housebound but also include details about how mobile they are, their ability to travel, and what activities they can do on their own during a normal day.
Complete and error-free applications can speed up the process. You’ll avoid any delays caused by needing to collect more paperwork or correct errors.
It can be stressful for loved ones to manage the financial needs of veterans in need of assisted living in Myrtle Beach. These benefits can help ease the financial burden of long-term, costly care.
Reflections Assisted Living at Carolina Forest offers a place that your parents can call home. It is a Christian based senior living facility that takes care of your loved ones.
Reflections Assisted Living at Carolina Forest
219 Middleburg Dr
Myrtle Beach, SC 29579
(843) 903-0700
https://www.reflectionsassistedliving.com/
Reflections Assisted Living 