No matter what time of the year it is, people are going away. They’re going on vacation, business trips, and much more. If your father is a veteran (or maybe it’s your mother who served), you might worry about leaving him for the times you go away. You might understand that Veteran’s home care would be a valuable asset, but what if your father continually refuses because, according to him, he “can’t afford it?”
It’s easy to dismiss something if you assume it’s too expensive. It’s easy to look past something because you assume you just can’t afford it. This might be true of your father and other veterans, especially if they don’t realize there are certain pensions the Veteran’s Administration has developed over the years to help them, especially during times such as these.
What if your father never saw combat or wasn’t injured during service?
There is a pension called the Aid and Attendance Benefit that was developed following World War I and has expanded through the years to provide financial assistance to those qualifying veterans who need Veteran’s home care.
No, a veteran does not need to have been injured or disabled during active duty service. However, for veterans under 65, they need to be considered completely disabled to be eligible for this pension benefit. For veterans 65 and over, though, they need only show a documentable need for in-home care.
This is most often provided by a doctor’s recommendation.
What other requirements must your father meet?
He needs to be considered a ‘wartime veteran.’ This simply means at least one day of his active duty service needs to have fallen during a time when the United States was officially engaged in combat. The four major combat periods include World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam Conflict, and the Gulf War. Even if he never saw combat and only served one day of his active duty service on the very last day of the Vietnam Conflict, for example, he would be considered a wartime veteran for these purposes.
Your father’s income and assets, combined, must also not exceed a specific threshold limit as set forth by the VA. In most cases, a primary residence is not calculated in the total. Neither are assets that cannot be quickly converted into cash.
If your father meets the requirements for the Aid and Attendance benefit, the VA may offer financial disbursement every month to be used for Veteran’s home care, however, he sees fit. That may include hiring an in-home care agency to provide support while you are away.
Plus, you may just realize (both of you) that experienced in-home care through an agency is incredibly valuable, especially as he grows comfortable with the individual and sees the consistency with which the services are provided.
Then, you can still support and help him out, but you won’t feel obligated or worried every time you have to go away on a trip, whether it’s your vacation, business adventure, or just a little bit of time to yourself.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Veteran’s Home Care in Lafayette, LA, please contact the caring staff at BrightCare Homecare today. Call (337) 279-5466
BrightCare Homecare is a top provider of home care services in Lafayette, Youngsville, Broussard, New Iberia, Breaux Bridge, Carencro, Opelousas, Sunset, Crowley, Abbeville, Scott, Cecilia, Port Barre, Iota, and the surrounding areas.
Through a personalized care plan, BrightCare Homecare provides the necessary services and care to cater to your unique personal and health needs. With us, we ensure around-the-clock services and supervision to help achieve optimum health and wellness.
We are a top provider of home care services in Lafayette, Youngsville, Broussard, New Iberia, Breaux Bridge, Carencro, Opelousas, Sunset, Crowley, Abbeville, Scott, Cecilia, Port Barre, Iota, and the surrounding areas.
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