What Kinds of Senior Care Will the Veterans Benefit Pay For?

Dear Donna:

My 84-year-old father is a veteran. His health has been slowly declining over the last few years. I don’t live close enough to him to provide the amount of care I think he needs.

Dad’s neighbor, who is also a veteran, told me there are benefits available to help pay for his care. He wasn’t sure how much my dad could qualify for or how it worked, though. Can you offer any advice or point me in the right direction?

Sincerely,

Julie in Midland, MI

Senior Care Covered by VA Benefits

Dear Julie:

I’m so glad that your father’s neighbor shared this information with you! There are benefits available for veterans who qualify, but they often go overlooked because older adults aren’t aware of them. So, here’s a quick overview.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs offers several programs that help pay for senior care, ranging from medical services to personal assistance for daily living. What a veteran qualifies for depends on service history, medical needs, income, and disability rating. The most notable one is the Veterans Aid and Attendance benefit. This benefit provides monthly payments added to the amount of monthly VA pension qualified veterans and survivors already receive.

How Does a Veteran Qualify for the VA Aid and Attendance Benefit?

To receive this enhanced benefit, a veteran must already be eligible for a basic VA pension. Once that hurdle is overcome, a veteran or their surviving spouse must:

Require help with two activities of daily living (ADLs), which can include tasks such as dressing, bathing, or toileting
Be bedridden due to an illness or injury
Live in a nursing care center because of a physical or cognitive disability
Have vision loss that measures 5/200 or less in both eyes, even when wearing glasses, or a visual field of 5 degrees or fewer

VA Aid and Attendance Benefit Amounts

The VA Aid and Attendance benefit is evaluated by Congress on a regular basis. They determine what is known as the maximum payment amount rate (MPAR). The benefit payment then depends on a veteran or surviving spouse’s individual circumstances.

Currently, a veteran, couple, or surviving spouse may be entitled to receive one of the following monthly benefits:

Single veteran: Up to $2,358
Married veteran: Up to $2,795
Veteran with spouse who needs care: Up to $1,851
Surviving spouse: Up to $1,515
Two married veterans (both eligible): Up to $3,740

The VA does not directly pay communities, but a veteran can use their monthly payment for:

Assisted living rent
Personal care fees
Memory care programs
Medication management
Other support services

Here’s a quick look at what types of care your dad might benefit from to help him enjoy the best quality of life.

Senior Care Services to Consider

Many veterans prefer to remain at home as they age, while others feel safer and less isolated in a community setting. The VA provides multiple programs to support either of these.

Homemaker and home health aide services

These services help with ADLs such as bathing, dressing, toileting, meal preparation, and mobility assistance. An aide may come a few hours a week or work full-time, depending on assessed need.

Respite care

The VA pays for temporary care to give a family caregiver time off. This can occur at home or in a senior care setting, such as assisted living, memory care, or a skilled nursing center.

Adult day health care

These programs provide structured daytime supervision, social activities, rehabilitation therapies, and nursing services. It is ideal for families where the primary caregiver works full-time.

Assisted living and personal care homes

Depending upon the state in which you will be looking for care for your dad, another solution might be an assisted living community. These are sometimes referred to as personal care homes. Families often consider these to be an ideal solution. They combine the privacy and independence of having a private apartment or suite with the support of on-site caregivers around the clock.

Specialized dementia care

Designed to support the unique needs of adults with most forms of dementia, including Alzheimer’s, the VA Aid and Attendance benefit can be utilized for this type of senior living. They offer dedicated programs and services to meet the challenges of adults with memory impairments.

Long-term nursing home care

For veterans with significant medical or custodial needs, the Veterans Administration may cover care in several types of long-term centers either directly or through the use of the Aid and Attendance benefit:

Community living centers (VA-run nursing homes): These provide 24-hour skilled nursing, rehabilitation, social services, and memory care. Priority is often given to veterans with service-connected disabilities.
State veterans homes: Partially funded by the VA but operated by states, these facilities offer long-term nursing care, memory care, and sometimes assisted living. Veterans typically pay a reduced cost.
Community nursing homes (contracted private facilities): The VA contracts with participating nursing homes to pay part or all of the cost for eligible veterans when VA beds are unavailable or unsuitable.

I hope this quick overview is helpful, Julie! I invite you to call a Heritage location near your dad if you need help determining what type of senior care best meets his needs.

Kind regards,

Donna

Shelley