VA Benefits for Caregiving! (child, parent, spouse, father)
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Some of you have heard this from me before but I am going to try to remember to post this once a year or so till I croak! I was stupid and I don't want you to make the same mistake I did!
If the person you care caring for has VA Benefits check and find out for sure what is included. Some VA Benefits include paying for home care up to about $2500 per month. It's not easy to get and there is paperwork but it's real money.
When I was caring for my father, both my parents told me repeatedly my dad's VA benefits were worth nothing. And I believed them. I should have checked for myself. I took care of my dad for over 10 years and VA should have been paying. That's 300K I did not get because I was too lazy to check.
When my dad, a WWII Marine vet, had cancer and needed lots of expensive treatments and frequent doctor visits, someone suggested that he see what's available through the VA. Dad didn't have much money at all; pretty much just had a roof over his head and a car. The VA was a lifesaver (no pun intended). The local VA clinic provided him with medications, transportation to doctor appointments and treatments, even driving him to a VA hospital Chicago (about a 1-hr drive each way) many times. Unfortunately, we did not find out about the available in-home health care until after Dad had died. It would have been so helpful to have had that info in time for Dad. We were in the dark and didn't know to even ask about home health care for him.
Do what yellowsnow says and ask lots of questions. Follow up if you don't get answers. It's worth the legwork. The VA offers a lot of services and veterans have earned them.
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Do these benefits extend to spouses of vets? I think there is money available for spouses in assisted living/skilled nursing facilities if you have less than $88k or so in assets. It certainly does not pay the whole bill but helps.
My elder family member does not have that need yet so I have not investigated, but I am curious if anyone has had experience with that spouse situation.
Do these benefits extend to spouses of vets? I think there is money available for spouses in assisted living/skilled nursing facilities if you have less than $88k or so in assets. It certainly does not pay the whole bill but helps.
My elder family member does not have that need yet so I have not investigated, but I am curious if anyone has had experience with that spouse situation.
I would like to know that also. My dad is a veteran of the Korean War, but it's my mom who needs a lot of assistance.
Do these benefits extend to spouses of vets? I think there is money available for spouses in assisted living/skilled nursing facilities if you have less than $88k or so in assets. It certainly does not pay the whole bill but helps.
My elder family member does not have that need yet so I have not investigated, but I am curious if anyone has had experience with that spouse situation.
When my dad, a WWII Marine vet, had cancer and needed lots of expensive treatments and frequent doctor visits, someone suggested that he see what's available through the VA. Dad didn't have much money at all; pretty much just had a roof over his head and a car. The VA was a lifesaver (no pun intended). The local VA clinic provided him with medications, transportation to doctor appointments and treatments, even driving him to a VA hospital Chicago (about a 1-hr drive each way) many times. Unfortunately, we did not find out about the available in-home health care until after Dad had died. It would have been so helpful to have had that info in time for Dad. We were in the dark and didn't know to even ask about home health care for him.
Do what yellowsnow says and ask lots of questions. Follow up if you don't get answers. It's worth the legwork. The VA offers a lot of services and veterans have earned them.
.
See? Now here are 2 who didn't get what they should have gotten!
My dad is getting close to needing more care or nursing home. Mom can't continue if he gets any weaker. So mom has been checking on any eligibility. He was enlisted served 6 years but never during war time. One of the things that bumped him up to having higher eligibility possibilities is that he was stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, and did boot camp there, in Marine reserves, but spent most time on a base in NC, not all at Camp Lejeune. I may not have all details correct. It was found later to be a highly contaminated place, even radiation contaminates. We had no idea he would qualify for anything until this past summer.
Mom found out through someone she knows has her husband in the soldiers home nursing home type facility near the VA Hospital in Hennepin County, MN. There may be a year waiting list but he may also qualify for home care also. We just brought him in for his in take exam. It all went surprisingly quick, mom just contacted them to start things about a month and a half ago. I was impressed so far by the efficiency so far. Also got his picture ID the same day, well filled out forms and took picture. Nurse /social worker called the next day to speak about possible services.
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